


Rose Above

by Blacksheep28, Rainbowmandms



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, BDSM, Character Death, F/M, Fluff, Incest, M/M, Multi, Romance, Slow Burn, Smut, Swapfell, Underground
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2020-10-25 10:04:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 49
Words: 122,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20722418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blacksheep28/pseuds/Blacksheep28, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainbowmandms/pseuds/Rainbowmandms
Summary: Life in the Underground was harsh. Then Mutt decided to bring a human home, and things started changing. Perhaps with a human's help they'd finally escape.





	1. Welcome to Snowdin

**Author's Note:**

> I have the entire story written up, just working on editing it. Hope to do a chapter a week.

Kari had regrets. Really, truly, deep rooted regrets.

To be fair she was rather in the habit of ignoring things that told her to not trespass. Yeah a lot of places could be dangerous, but she was pretty good at taking care of herself and it was a really nice mountain. Complete with local folklore she decided would be fun to investigate. Not that she expected to find anything, but poking around such places was always fun.

That attitude had, unfortunately, what had caused her to end up in a mountain with a very well disguised pit in it leading to a series of caverns inside. And while the monsters and magic were pretty cool, Kari was one hundred percent sure she would like it better if they weren't trying to kill her. The worst had been that giant goat monster. It had been horrifying seeing him turn to dust in front of her, but he had been trying to trap her. And she didn't let anyone do that.

Kari looked around the woods cautiously. She had a nagging feeling that despite the snow and trees she was not, in fact, outside.

Work was boring...work was always at least a little boring and stressful though. But today was quiet which was worse cause there was nothing to occupy him...and if Sans caught him sleeping again he was in for it. 

A dog treat hung lazily from his fingers as he watched the path from his tree perch. He didn't have it in him to stay cramped in the sentry station (clearly built for smaller monsters than himself) for today. Then...something new. Someone approaching from the side of the ruins, but nobody had gone by earlier. So whoever it was...wasn't from here. He stilled listening as the steps proceeded.

Kari stepped forward slowly. Would there be more monsters? She stuck to the edge of the path and looked up at the trees contemplating if she should risk trying to climb them in the cold. Well, there went boredom. He popped to a spot behind her content to watch for now. If she got too smart he'd interfere.

Okay. Tracks in the snow that went to a tree and disappeared. Someone was in the forest. And it looked like it was time for her to disappear too. Looked like she was risking it. Kari contemplated for a moment before pulling her sleeves down on her hands to help protect her palms and grabbing the tree. She quickly pulled herself up and looked up, noting the cavern ceiling. "So still inside. Just like he said."

She noted the crevice leading even deeper underground and the heavily trapped bridge and stopped to try and figure a way to cross without going through it. Mutt tilted his head leaning against the trunk of the tree he was standing in. He flicked a small bone attack toward a tree a few feet away causing the branches to rustle and snow to drop. Time to see what she would do when spooked.

Kari shot a few trees over and started running hard, instantly dropping into tactics for avoiding pursuit.

Smart girl, very smart. She couldn't have been here that long. Word would have spread if she had... he followed after her popping around through the trees. Valiant effort on her part, hopefully she didn't slip off any cliffs. Sans wouldn't be pleased with a loss like that.

Kari eventually slowed down back to her normal travel pace after an hour, though she checked around her a few times. It seemed she wasn't pursued. She still needed to figure out a way out though, and she'd found a rather icy river, so she would have to turn around if she wanted to keep going.

Eventually she was forced to stop and take a break. It was getting cold and she was slowing down. Which was really bad. Kari needed to start warming up, find a place to warm up, or risk dying slowly.

He popped into a tree a bit ahead of her sitting in a low hanging branch, let her think she approached on her own. He lit up a dog treat and slumped his arms to his knees.

Kari eyed the monster ahead of her warily. At least she assumed he was a monster. She couldn't quite tell from the distance. But maybe if she kept her distance she could get information from him before needing to run. And she couldn't keep going like she had. So far her best bet was tracing her way back to the death bridge. "Hello," Kari called out when she was still a few feet away. She didn't plan on getting closer than seven feet.

Mutt tilted his head, "It speaks, what's a tiny thing like you doin' out in the cold?"

Kari grinned playfully. "Desperately trying to get back out of it."

"Inn in town, not sure it'd be the best spot. Could probably sleep in a booth at Muffets, but she'll require you to pay for somethin' that may or may not be safe to ingest." He let the smoke from the dog treat curl around his head and float off into the cavern around them, "Start getting dark soon. Could take you back with me."

"Really? Just gonna offer guidance to a young girl in the woods just like that?" Kari asked dryly. She was not stupid. She wasn't going near him unless he admitted a price that was tolerable to pay.

"Gotta head back anyway. M'lord's already gonna be impatient with bein' out so late. Might as well offer." He dropped out of the tree landing with a soft crunch of snow underfoot. "Got a name?"

"Kari. You?" Kari stepped slightly closer, if still maintaining the distance.

"Real one, or the one I actually respond to?" Mutt questioned with a small smile shoving his hands into his pockets.

Oh, that was a good question. Kari grinned. "Gift me both? And let me guess which is which."

He tilted his head, "Tell you what. Give you both if you agree to take the shortcut back? Decent walk back without it, wouldn't want someone freezin on my watch."

Kari considered her chances of parting ways with him and not dying. She noted that her fingers had long since gone numb. He had her in a hold. She couldn't risk going on. "Deal."

He nodded noting her hesitation. She was right to do it, who knew how well his brother would really take the news, "Could use Papyrus, or Mutt." He held out a hand, "Let's get you somewhere warmer teeny thing."

"Well that wasn't challenging to guess at all," Kari snorted. She looked cautiously at the hand. "I would prefer to not touch."

"Just a little bit. Said you'd take the shortcut, little hard to do it without touchin' ya. Just a hand, I don't bite...unless you ask first." He held the hand steady out in invitation.

"Uh huh." Well. Death either way. At least she had a chance if she went with him. Kari reached out for his hand and took it. Well. Definitely a monster. She was holding hands with a skeleton. Kari quickly stifled giggles at the thought it wouldn't be long before she was one too. Mutt grinned and took a step closer getting a better grip on her with his other hand by the shoulder and popping them back to town.

Kari flinched and started struggling to escape. The sharp twist in the world was disorienting, leaving her stumbling and trying to find her balance. What had-what was going on? Mutt let her go, she had already been struggling against his hold. Feisty little thing she was, almost like a less refined Sans. He jerked a thumb to a couple of posts sticking out of the snow, "Was a welcome to Snowdin sign at one point."

"What..." Kari stared in surprise. "Teleporting?" She should have realized that kind of thing was possible. "Huh." She looked at the skeleton. "Thanks." Even if she was still unsure why he had done this.

He dropped his hands back down, "Welcome, least I could do after scaring ya."

Kari shrugged, and headed for the nearest building to warm up. She’d figure out what to do after that. Mutt watched her as he fiddled with his phone. She certainly was a bold one, or ignorant...possibly a good mix of the two.

A few strides and he was back beside her again, "Got Muffets right over there, usually safe inside, don't eat anything she gives you to go. And inn's down that way, depends on mood how much they're gonna charge you for a night. Used to be a library, mostly just stripes running around there anymore."

“Stripes?” Kari asked cautiously. And she didn’t know what he got from giving her useful information like this. She did change direction towards Muffet’s not planning on eating but definitely willing to grab sanctuary where she could. Further up ahead monsters began to vanish into hiding. Mutt knew that pattern, and oh yep there went one of the bunnies scampering back home out of the wake. "Underage."

“Hm.” Kari noticed the scattering monsters and decided to pick up her pace to Muffet’s in the hope of avoiding being dragged into whatever was going on. She vanished inside just as Sans caught up.

He glared at the door accusingly. “GREAT.”

Mutt snorted, "She's pretty fast for something so small."

Sans inclined his head and glanced at Mutt. “YOU DIDN’T TRAP OR KILL HER.” There was a question under the statement, heavy with trust and curiosity. Did his brother have a different idea?

"Wasn't gonna dust her without talking to you first. Plus it was quiet for the day, I was bored." He shrugged, "She made it from the bridge back toward the ice flow river without breaking. She’s got stamina on her."

Sans shook his head and hit his brother. “CARELESS. HUMANS ARE DANGEROUS, NOT TOYS.” It was like his brother to decide to play with a human. Really, why was he the responsible one?

"I didn't let her see me until she was tired out and doubling back. She wasn't happy about me grabbing her for the shortcut either. Name’s Kari." He supplied.

Sans tilted his head. “WANT TO KEEP THIS ONE?” Trapping a human would be an interesting challenge. And as powerful as he was he had never been interested in absorbing a human soul.

Mutt looked between his brother and the door, "Might be fun trying." It would certainly be a challenge. Sans considered it. He had originally planned to kill any humans and collect their souls to spite the queen, and maybe one day get him and his brother to the Surface. A live human had never been in the plans. But as long as they played it safe, why not? 

“I’LL PREPARE A CAGE FOR HER. YOU KEEP AN EYE ON THE HUMAN. AND DON’T GET HURT.”

"Course not M'lord, can't leave you to shoulder everything." Mutt replied hands in his pockets. Might be time to hit up the old barstool for a bit.

Satisfied that his brother wouldn’t do anything stupid Sans headed back to the house, scanning for any potential threats. He grinned at a dog monster that looked like it was contemplating something, breaking into a smirk when it retreated. As expected.

Mutt watched the exchange until Sans was out of sight. Now to try his hand with the human. He turned back to the door and popped inside rather than take the steps to open it landing sloppily on his normal perch.

Kari had found a seat next to a window. She’d checked, and she was pretty sure she could break it to escape if she had to. She curled up thoughtfully, watching the monsters eye her and each other suspiciously. It was almost comforting, seeing everyone act so openly. She saw Mutt pop in at the bar and snorted quietly to herself before resuming rubbing her arms for warming up.

Mutt spoke quietly to one of the many tiny spiders littering the walls and table edges. It skittered off to the area behind the bar. A few moments later Muffet was standing beside the window herself placing a warm cup down, "From the cur taking up my barstool, Dearie. Unusual for him."

Kari looked up at the spider monster and accepted the drink. “Thank you. Excellent service.” She sipped at it, a little surprised how the warmth flooded through her. She’d thought that would take longer.

Kari sipped at it for a while before finally getting up and walking as confidently as she could to Mutt. “So it seems I’ve picked up a stray.”

"Not exactly a stray," he flicked at the tag attached to the collar, "just good at wandering off leash."

Kari leaned in to look at the collar. “Property of Sans, huh?”

"You juuust managed to miss him earlier." Mutt replied with a tiny smirk.

“Let me guess. He was looking for his dog?”

He shrugged, "Woof."

Kari chuckled. “So, why are you following me? And don’t pretend it’s a coincidence. I’m not that dumb.”

"See any others like you down here? Interesting." He sipped out of a bottle of barbecue sauce in his hands.

“I was under the impression your kind wanted to kill mine,” Kari stared dryly.

"Queen's orders, not M'lord's. Don't listen to one and relatively bad at following orders from the other." He admitted.

Kari snorted. “A badly trained mutt eh? How charming?”

"I can be plenty charming, on the right occasion." 

Muffet tossed a cleaning rag at him, "If you so much as scuff my bar I will double your tab."

Kari shook her head. “So I’m being stalked. For entertainment.”

"Now who said anything about being stalked? Haven't been here all that long." He dropped the damp cloth onto one of the spiders skittering along the baseboard and Muffet huffed at him again.

“Right. Conveniently following me. That better?

"You happen to be in my favorite place next to home. For all I know you could be the one stalking me. How long you been keepin' an eye out?"

“Long enough to see you arrive after me.” Kari relaxed. “Drink was nice though. What do you want in return?”

"Really? Just annoying this sweet little thing over here." He jerked a thumb towards Muffet who had wandered off to attend to other patrons. "Kinda a everyone knows everybody type thing going on here. New isn't always best."

“Showing off you met me first, hm?”

"Making sure nobody with ill intent thinks twice."

Kari startled slightly at that before managing to catch herself. “What?” She misheard.

Mutt tapped at the gold tooth, "Wasn't exactly born with this."

“And how does that apply to me?”

"Lot smaller and who's gonna miss the new person? Anybody gonna be backing you up?" He tapped his fingers along the edge of the bottle.

“Never expected back up. Never expected a welcome. And that’s a lot of work for entertainment.”

"Stick around for a spell and you'll understand why... an’ all I did was order a drink to add onto that tab I keep dodging." He winked.

Kari looked at him warily. “Right. As you say, it was just a drink.” Then that’s all she’d acknowledge debt wise. “I should head out. I do need to find a way back up still.”

"That'd be all the way through to the queen and beyond." Mutt replied quietly setting the bottle down, "I wouldn't suggest trying too hard."

“Why’s that?” Kari challenged. Her eyes glinted with fire.

"Easy way to end up dead."

“Most things are easy ways to end dead.”

Mutt laughed low, "Ain't that the truth."

Kari grinned. “Yeah.” She leaned back. “I could take my time though. It’s not like I plan on coming back once I get out.”

"Don't think anybody would."

“There aren’t any better monster communities to move to?”

"Snowdin is about as calm as it gets, and that's thanks to M'lord."

“Huh. And I’m guessing you’re not the type to decide to live out on your own. Or try and blend with humans.”

"That'd require being able to get to other humans." Mutt responded.

“What do you mean?”

"Nobody explained the barrier to you?"

“I’m guessing it’s more than a fence with guards?

Mutt snorted, "Maybe just a bit."

Kari hummed. “Do I need to worry about it? Since I’m not...you know.”

"I'd be worried about the wrong eyes or ears....or lack of. Considering...you know."

“But I can pass it. Good.” Kari relaxed.

"Closer you get the harder that'll be. Rarely guards out this far just M'lord and his troops."

“So I’ll just have to be extra sneaky and fast! Take my time planning and go at a run when I’m ready.”

"Sounds like a plan. Could also bargain off safety." Mutt shrugged.

“True, but I’d need to find something worth more than my death to trade.”

"You're surface dwelling yeah? Information's always good." Mutt leaned against the bar top fishing in his pocket. Muffet returned from the other side of the room, "If you light up one of those mangy smoke bombs in here Dearest I will have to ask you to leave." She pointed out sugar sweet. 

He waved her off, "Alright fine ya silky wench. Not getting you in trouble for anything." 

"How thoughtful. Say hi to the Captain for me, won't you? I'll keep an eye, or a dozen or so on this one." 

Mutt looked between the two and sighed, "You let her choose about that one yeah Muff?"

Kari looked at Mutt calculatingly before nodding. “Yeah, talking to Muffet sounds good.” Maybe she would know why Mutt was being so friendly.

Mutt looked between the two and nodded once standing from the stool and shoving his hands into his pockets. He actually took the door rather than popping out. Muffet crossed her arms watching him go, "Degenerate that one. Don't know how the Captain puts up with it."

“I imagine he’s got his uses.” Kari turned and grinned back at Muffet. “So. Know why he’d be so invested in me?”

"I'd imagine it's because he collects lost causes." Muffet replied wiping down the bar, "Though him and Sans are probably your safest bet for now. Lot of respect thrown their way, and as loathe as I am to admit it...Papyrus does take care of his own."

“You think I’m a lost cause?” Kari winked at Muffet. “Am I a cute one at least?”

Muffet reached over with a free hand pinching her cheek, "Now now, flattery will only get you so far. Though now I think I'm beginning to see what he does. Kindred spirits the two of you."

Kari beamed as sweetly as she could. “Thanks! So, what do you take in trades?”

"Well, Papyrus was right on the information front. There’s also gold, though if what my little darlings overheard was right you probably don't have much to your name."

“Ooh, you’ve got a lovely info network.” Kari grinned. “Must be pretty easy for you to find what you want.”

"Mostly Dearie. Though sadly, I do lack most of the muscle that other's flash about." Muffet smiled adding a perfectly folded napkin to a plate being hauled past by a small multitude of spiderlings.

“Alas, that’s one of the things I also lack.” Kari shook her head sorrowfully.

"Well Dearie, that's where hooligans like Papyrus come in very very useful."

“He doesn’t strike me as a very biddable tool.”

"Oh he has his moments. It all depends on how willing to cooperate with him and Sans you are. Not an offer that's extended to very many. And an easy one to lose." Muffet nodded to a patron on their way out the door with a cheery smile.

Well, it seemed Kari had some pretty strong incentive to put up with whatever Mutt wanted her for until she managed to make her plans. Kari grinned at her. “Good to know. Anything I can do for you? Since you’ve been such a generous host.”

Muffet let out a tittering laugh, "Oh I'm sure I'll find something to make of you. Just try and keep your tab caught up if you decide to stick around."

“Got it.” Kari saluted happily. She slid off the stool and headed out to look for Mutt. She had a bargain to strike.


	2. Deals

Sans was fairly satisfied with the security in the converted room and waited impatiently for Mutt to come back.

Mutt popped back into the room leaning against the wall.

Sans spun around and rushed over to hug his brother. “Papyrus. Hey.”

Mutt smiled accepting and returning the affection, "Have fun with your prep?"

“IT’S READY. SHE’LL NEVER ESCAPE!” Sans smirked. “DID SHE LEAVE MUFFET’S?”

"Not yet, though I'm not entirely certain how Muff plans to string her influence." Mutt responded flicking his lighter open and shut in his pocket.

“HM.” Sans paced back and forth. “I DOUBT SHE’D SELL THE HUMAN OR KEEP HER FOR HERSELF. MUFFET HAS TOO MUCH RIDING ON HER PLACE BEING SAFE. BUT SHE MIGHT FIND USES FOR A HUMAN TOO.”

"Entirely possible, could be a good work environment if she's sticking around...possible intel on Muff too if she could be convinced."

Sans paused. “YOU MEAN LETTING HER WALK FREE?”

"Within reason, if shes trustable...though she seems to operate on a barter system naturally. Fits in pretty well, and has decent stamina for someone who doesn't appear to have training."

He frowned. “HUMANS AREN’T TRUSTWORTHY.” He stepped over to check if the human had somehow managed to do something to Mutt.

"I didn't say I thought she was, I said if." He knelt down practically sitting on the floor before the shorter.

Sans studied Mutt carefully before relaxing again. “IT WOULD BE DANGEROUS. MY REPUTATION IS STRONG, BUT A HUMAN IS VERY TEMPTING.”

"Won't do anything you don't want." 

Sans snorted and patted his head. “OF COURSE NOT. NOT UNLESS YOU WERE SICK.” He paused, and eyed Mutt suspiciously. “YOU DID CLEAN YOUR ROOM YESTERDAY RIGHT?” Was Mutt telling him this because he’d decided to weasel out of his chores again? Mutt nodded, he had for the most part. Under the bed was probably riddled with socks, wrappers, and various other less than savory things....he hadn't checked.

“SO. YOU AREN’T HIDING SOMETHING?”

"Might have not checked less than obvious places..." he grumbled eyes cast to the floor.

Sans chuckled and hugged his brother. “I KNEW IT! YOU SHOULD GET THAT CLEANED UP BEFORE THINGS START MOVING IN UNDER THERE.”

Mutt shrugged snickering back, "Just stick anything moving on people's doors."

“I AM GOING TO STICK THEM DOWN YOUR SHIRT,” Sans threatened.

"That's one hell of a kink." Mutt replied in jest. Sans stuck his tongue out and Mutt reached over flicking the tip of the magic appendage, "I'll clean it later tonight..."

That was his brother. Sans scowled at him before checking his uniform. “I SHOULD GO SECURE THE HUMAN.”

"You prefer to do that alone?" Mutt questioned. He had said I... but Mutt still worried.

Sans tilted his head. “IT WOULD WORK BETTER IF YOU CAME WITH ME, AS THE INITIAL POINT OF CONTACT.”

Mutt nodded standing back up, "Night patrol it is then."

Sans walked out of the house, Mutt obediently on his heels. He headed to Muffet’s scanning for the human, and spotted a new person walking by. Sans looked to Mutt to verify it was the human.

Kari relaxed seeing Mutt and turned toward him, eyeing the smaller skeleton in front of him. She was guessing that was Sans.

Mutt gave the briefest of nods to the other skeleton, "Looks like she has indeed left the spider's web."

Sans surveyed the tiny human before him, silently pleased that he was taller than her, if not by much. “HUMAN. LET’S MAKE A DEAL.”

Kari grinned a touch uneasy. She knew Mutt wanted something. She just hadn’t expected him and his master to seek her out for it. “Sounds good to me.”

Mutt slouched, his hands in his pockets, but eyes ever alert scanning around them.

Wow. Sans knew Mutt was good, but he was still surprised by how easily the human agreed to a deal. Sans smirked and puffed himself up proudly. “YOUR KIND ARE RARE AROUND HERE, AND CLAIMING THAT YOU’RE MINE WILL GIVE ME A LOT OF PRESTIGE. IN EXCHANGE YOU WOULD STAY WITH US, AND FOLLOW CERTAIN RULES.”

Kari tilted her head, hands clenched tightly. “What rules?”

“YOU HAVE TO TELL US WHEN YOU PLAN TO WANDER. OTHERWISE YOU ARE EXPECTED TO STAY WITH US OR IN THE HOUSE.”

“Not gonna have me ask permission to wander?” Kari asked sarcastically.

Mutt tilted his head muttering lowly, "Not really jailers."

Sans gritted his teeth. “I DOUBT YOU WOULD MAKE THE DEAL IF YOU FELT TOO RESTRAINED.” He would prefer having more control over her, but he could see Mutt was right. Too many limits and he would be forced to jail the human, and that would only end with one of them dead. Not what he wanted to do to someone Mutt seemed intrigued by.

Kari weighed it heavily. “Fine.”

Mutt stared down at the two of them. Just like that huh? He had expected a bit more of a back and forth, though Sans had been particularly compliant with her. A tiny smile curled one side of his grin, that would be just like him holding back for his brother's sake. He'd need to do something nice for the other as a thanks.

Sans nodded sharply. “RIGHT. FOLLOW US TO THE HOUSE THEN.” He turned around and marched back to the house, Kari trailing behind them.

Mutt rechecked the locks behind the three of them twice. Habits die hard it seems. Then he proceeded to flop onto the edge of the couch slouching heavily, but keeping an eye on the other two, how interesting would things get? Kari looked at the locks, measuring how easy it’d be to undo them for an escape. They might like being locked in, but Kari definitely preferred having a way out.

“THIS WAY.” Sans opened the door to a room that while comfortable, had the windows completely barred, a secondary prison door, and two shimmering layers of a magical barrier. Kari took one look at that and bolted for the nearest window.

Mutt caught her around the upper chest as she bolted past. "Hey, whoa, try using words?" Kari just fought like mad, not even thinking. She just needed out!

“WELL! THAT’S A NICE THANK YOU,” Sans fumed. Really! He’d made sure the room was quite comfortable! Mutt sighed and caught his brothers gaze for a second before he popped himself and Kari out to the roof.

What? It was a perfectly nice room! Sans looked at it. Okay, it had been designed as a human cage, but he had put a lot of effort into making it comfortable. He thought it was nice. And it wasn’t like he was planning to use any of the locks thanks to their deal.

Mutt held onto her shoulder to keep her steady on the snowy surface, "Wanna try this again?"

“Can’t....can’t...” Kari grabbed at Mutt, torn between fighting him and just hanging on.

"Want a dog treat? Helps calm the racing down some."

“A what?” Kari hyperventilated as she stared at Mutt. “A dog treat?”

He pulled one of them out of his pocket with he free hand, "Helps with the anxiety."

She stared flatly at it. “And you just...eat those.”

That started a laugh out of him, "Nope, you saw me with one earlier."

“This is what you were smoking?”

He nodded, "Not that bad once you get past the first couple taste issues."

She shook her head. “Thanks, but no thanks.”

He shrugged dropping it back into a pocket, "Little better now though?" At least she was breathing a bit easier.

“I am, honestly.” Kari took a few more deep breaths. “I’m thinking your brother wouldn’t have been so friendly if I hadn’t agreed to the deal.”

"You didn't see the room before he worked on it." Mutt pointed out. He had for sure put effort into it. "You did agree to the terms, I'm sure there’s more explanation to go with how much he altered the original state. What was the worst part?"

“No escape.”

"Fairly certain you could ask about some of that setup. Though he's not going to move all of it. Humans are dangerous."

Kari laughed. “Right. I’m absolutely terrifying with my complete and total lack of fighting skills.” Okay, that wasn’t the complete truth, but the few fights she got into were definitely aimed at getting away, not at winning.

Mutt snorted, "That's worse, no structure. I was lucky you didn’t decide hurting me was the best way to get out. Wanna go back and talk like civil things?"

He wasn’t wrong. If hurting someone was what it took to secure her freedom, then hey! Whatever it took. Kari took a deep breath. “I made a deal. I don’t break those.”

"Good to know. Just so we're clear...don't touch him." 

She heard the threat loud and clear. “Fighting’s not my style anyways.” He grinned stepping forward to hold her a little easier and popping them back inside. This was still a risk...and the last thing he wanted was Sans getting hurt because of his curiosity.

Sans perked up as Mutt and the human came back. “FINALLY!” Mutt let go of Kari to stand off to the side between the two.

Kari looked at Sans. “I can’t stay in a room I can’t leave.”

Sans opened his mouth to protest, and paused. He had made that room extremely secure, hadn’t he? Sans drooped. “RIGHT. I’LL GET ANOTHER ROOM SET UP.” It seemed he wouldn’t get the chance to use his human cage after all. Stupid deal.

Mutt shrugged, "I can take the couch, sleep there often anyway."

“ONLY BECAUSE YOU’RE TOO LAZY TO CLEAN YOUR ROOM,” Sans scolded. He gestured for Kari to follow him up to another room. Kari hesitates briefly before trailing up after him.

Kari entered the rather bare room and looked around. “MY BROTHER’S. DON’T LOOK UNDER THE BED.” Sans paused, a painful look crossing his face. “OR THE CLOSET.”

Kari snorted. “Got it.” She was definitely going to be looking to see just how gross it was.

“YOU HAVE A PHONE?”

“Nope!”

“I’LL JUST-WHAT?”

“No phone!”

Sans stared. “I-I SEE. WE’LL GET YOU ONE SO YOU CAN INFORM US OF YOUR WANDERINGS THEN.”

Kari dropped onto the mattress. “Got it.”

Sans shook his head. “WE’LL GET YOU A COLLAR LATER.”

Kari stiffened and sat up. “What?”

Mutt leaned in the doorway, "Visual on the don't touch this one. M'lord has enough clout to keep most of the trouble off."

“Oh.”

“LESS PERMANENT THAN OTHER CLAIMS TOO.” Sans casually stepped over to touch Mutt’s collar and renew his magic. Mutt tilted into the reach easily.

“I see.” Kari studied the pair. They were surprisingly close to each other.

“THE KITCHEN IS JUST DOWN THROUGH THE LIVING ROOM. PLEASE COOK YOUR MEALS.” Far healthier than Muffet’s all the time.

“Payment?”

“I’M SURE YOU KNOW SOME THINGS THAT ARE USEFUL.”

Kari arched a brow. Sans stared back. “Alright.”

Sans relaxed. “GOOD.” He tugged at Mutt to follow him to his own room.

Mutt gave her a casual wave as he followed after his brother.

>>>>>>>>

Sans flopped face first onto his bed.

Mutt snorted, "Not exactly how I envisioned being invited here for a night."

“LIKE I DON’T REGULARLY DRAG YOU IN HERE ANYWAYS,” Black retorted. He sighed. “THIS HUMAN BETTER BE WORTH IT. I DIDN’T EVEN GET TO TEST MY CAGE.”

Mutt snickered sitting on the edge of the bed, "In a way you did. She was terrified."

“OF COURSE SHE WAS.” Sans sat up. “I AM THE MALEVOLENT SANS! THE BANE OF THE UNDERGROUND! THAT’S NOT A PROPER TEST.”

Mutt flopped across the others lap, "Screw proper. That makes things hard."

“MUTT!” Sans petted his skull. “YOU’RE SQUISHING ME!”

Mutt purred at the touch. "If that's the worst I ever do..." he chuckled.

“GET OFF ME,” Sans complained half heartedly.

Mutt sighed heavily, "I would have used those in a different order, but whatever you say." He rolled snagging the other and pulling down so he could cuddle up to him.

Sans didn’t have time to think about what Mutt said before he was pulled down and cuddled into Mutt. Sans let out a faint purr. “YOU’RE LUCKY I’M SO GENEROUS.”

Mutt rumbled back, "Your plenteous affections are most appreciated."

Sans smirked and curled up happily, for the moment everything right in his world. He did need to figure out how to use the human still. And why Mutt liked her. And he really wanted an excuse to use his human cage.

Mutt nuzzled at the top of Black's skull, "Thinkin too hard M'lord."

“IT’S MY JOB,” Sans answered reflexively. “I HAVE TO THINK TO RUN SNOWDIN.”

"Mmm also need rest."

“THAT’S JUST BEING LAZY,” Sans scoffed.

"Maybe. Better than sick though."

“I HAVEN’T GOTTEN SICK IN AGES!” The bone fever he’d had a few months ago when Mutt had to drag him home absolutely did not count.

Mutt raised a brow at him, "I seem to recall something not too awfully long ago."

“THAT WAS NOTHING,” Sans protested

"You melted through a snow poff like one of naps’ old cartoons."

“IT CHALLENGED ME,” Sans blatantly lied.

"Oh, so you were hearing the snow speaking?"

“WHAT? NO!”

"So it was a threat just sitting there?"

“ER, YES?”

Mutt gave him the most deadpan stare he could manage despite wanting to laugh so hard he'd fall off the bed. "You're right M'lord. Snowdin does need a protective hero."

Sans huffed and beat on his brother. “IDIOT!”

Mutt broke into chuckles, "Woe is the one who invokes your wrath."

“I SHOULD KICK YOU BACK OUT,” Sans complained even as he made no move to do so.

He nuzzled the smaller skeleton again, "Admit it, you find my lazy ways charming. You're just prideful."

“NEVER.” Sans nuzzled Mutt back contentedly.

Mutt settled back down now snuggling up slightly drowsy, "Just try to sleep. Don't want you hurt cause you were tired dealing with the tiny thing."

“SHE IS QUITE SMALL,” Sans agreed smugly.

Mutt hummed in affirmation.

“WELL. I SUPPOSE I CAN SPARE A FEW MINUTES.” Considering how absolutely no one commanded Sans there were no problems taking time for himself as long as he showed himself regularly to remind everyone who was in charge. Mutt grinned curling further around the smaller, wrapping an arm over him for good measure.

“SPOILED MUTT.” Sans snuggled down contentedly. This was perfect.

Mutt didn't respond, to content to just bask in the others presence until he drifted off.


	3. Pets

Sans chuckled evilly to himself as he checked his armor for the day and kept an eye on the specially Mutt baited breakfast. Nearby Kari sat on a counter munching on toast and watching in amusement wondering what he was up to. Still, free entertainment!

Mutt wandered down the stairs drawn by the smells of food and noises from the rest of the house. He never did like waking up in the morning, especially when the bed had been warmed by another body as well as his own...but he could only put it off so long before his brother would be back to pester him. 

He knew the moment he saw the plate something was up. He looked to his brother in question, was he missing a day here? Sans pretended not to see anything.

Mutt tilted his head, what was the catch here? "A good morning then M'lord?"

“SATISFACTORY,” Sans stayed dryly. Kari grinned and leaned forward. Mutt eyed the other two, was she in on it whatever it was? She seemed awfully amused. He plucked a piece of fruit off the plate. 

"Plans?"

“TESTING SOME THINGS,” Sans answered. “GOT A NEW TRAP TO SET UP. AND A COLLAR TO BUY.” Kari rolled her eyes.

"New stuff?" He questioned. Sans did have a special way with mechanics.

Sans grinned, eyes gleaming with LOVE. “Yes. Anyone who triggers it is losing at least one limb.”

Mutt eyed the other gauging if there was danger to leave him alone, "Sounds like something to be careful setting up."

Sans reined himself in carefully. “YES. IT WOULD BE BEST IF YOU KEPT CLEAR.” Sans paused. “THE HUMAN TOO.”

Mutt glanced to Kari then returned his focus to Sans. "Of course." Kari considered the interaction carefully. There was a playfulness to it, but also an odd wariness that didn’t seem to fit? She’d have to try and figure that out.

Mutt nodded taking the plate and heading for the couch.

“AHA!” Sans spun around and grinned triumphantly. “STEALING FOOD!” He grinned playfully.

Mutt rolled his eyes, "I knew you had something planned."

“MWEHEHE! YOU FELL FOR MY NEFARIOUS SCHEME!” Kari tried to suppress her laugh.

Sans grabbed Mutt by the arm and dragged him to the human cage to push him in. “YOU’LL BE THOROUGHLY TRAPPED. A COUPLE HOURS IN THERE WILL STRAIGHTEN YOU OUT!” Sans beamed with pride at his vicious plan.

Mutt looked around blinking confused at first, then he flopped himself over, "But M'lord..."

“NOPE! YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR YOUR IMPUDENCE!” Sans cheerfully snapped the locks on the inner door shut. Mutt shook his head with a grin he lazed on the floor for a few moments.

Sans finished sealing Mutt away with a grin. “You lock your pet up whenever you feel like it?” Kari asked. She continued to munch on her toast pretending not to care.

“HE’S MINE TO DO WITH AS I WANT,” Sans sniffed.

Kari considered that. Considering Mutt’s complete lack of care about being stuffed in that room and locked up it was either a common occurrence or not as serious as it seemed. She’d have to see which one it was. Either way she didn’t plan for that to happen to her.

Mutt patted down his pockets looking for his phone...drat not with him. Oh well time to see what all his brother had provided in the room. The pillows and blankets were almost sinfully comfortable. There was a radio set just out of reach, with a simple remote to turn it on and off but not to tune it, to keep as few things available as possible for weaponization. There were also three Fluffy Bunny books, a notebook, and five crayons. Mutt smiled at the book choices, of course he would leave these in here. He eyed the radio, but decided not to bother. Instead he took to rearranging the furniture, leaving the bedding in a pile in the very middle of the room. And the bed itself conveniently blocking the door.

When he was done he sat in the blanket pile surveying the chaos...before nodding to himself and carefully popping a seam thread out of the edge of a pillow and scattering the insides about the floor. There. He laid down to wait, eventually drifting off. The bed was cozy.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

“COME ON.” Sans headed down towards the general store. Kari hesitated, looking to where Mutt was trapped, before carefully slinking behind Sans. She was a clever thing, wasn’t she? Quick to pick up on what was around her and obey as long as she had incentive. She was highly sensitive to the idea of being trapped. Sans would have to step very carefully to keep her tied to him and Mutt.

The various monsters either watched the pair respectfully or got out of the way as Sans proudly made his way through. Kari was privately a little impressed. As far as she knew people didn’t bend easily, and this little skeleton had a whole town treating him with respect. He entered the general store and walked over to where some collars were kept.

“Captain,” the cashier said quietly. The rabbit’s ears twitched. “I wasn’t aware you kept pets.”

“CALL IT A HOBBY OF MINE,” Sans replied callously. “I DO ENJOY THE UNUSUAL.”

Kari kept her face blank at the words. She knew what the deal was. Inwardly she was debating whether pretending to be his pet was amusing or humiliating. She hadn’t quite made up her mind yet.

Sans selected a steel chain collar and pulled out a tag that he quickly burned his claim into, Property of Sans writing itself out on it.

Kari examined the few clothes that were available before shrugging a jacket on. Sans placed the collar on her, nodded at the cashier and left. The rabbit monster gritted her teeth, but didn’t call them back to pay.

“Funny, I thought I was the only one who had a “take what you can” policy,” Kari murmured.  
“SHE OWES ME. SAVED ONE OF HER KIDS.” Sans grinned. He might not like kids, but that was more to do with being uncomfortable and having nothing to do with them than any wish to see any harmed.

“So she just lets you take stuff?”

“WHEN I WANT TO.” Sans did pay when he felt like it, or wanted higher quality stuff. It tended to be a touch random for him, as he considered everyone in the town as owing him. Kari shook her head, tracing a hand over the warm metal at her neck. Whatever he’d done to it, it was nice that it wasn’t cold and biting.

“I NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THAT TRAP I MENTIONED. DON’T LET MUTT OUT.”

“Got it.” But she might still peek in. Sans studied Kari, decided she was being honest and headed off. Kari headed back to the house to check on Mutt.

Kari knocked on the door. “Hey Mutt. You alive in there?”

He popped into the hallway behind her, leaning against the wall with a yawn, "Yep."

Kari jumped sideways, spinning around to eye Mutt. “Geez! Gotta scare me?”

"You'll get used to it eventually." He grinned. "Nice accessorizing."

Kari touched the collar self consciously before putting her hand deliberately behind her back. “Better than something more permanent, right? And I can take it off whenever I want.” It’d be easy to slip off and escape. Not that she would. She had her deal to hold up.

Mutt shrugged, "Wouldn't mind somethin’ heavier myself." 

“So being locked up normal for you?” She paused. “Being locked in a room you can escape normal for you?”

He blinked at the door to the room, "Nah, he's just throwing a hissy cause he didnt get to 'trap the human'. An’ it ain't like I never give him grief anyway."

Kari looked at the room, Mutt, the room again, and then Mutt one last time. “He’s sulky about me refusing to let myself be locked up and decided to take it out on you?” Was she getting this right?

"He knows I'm capable of getting out. Left him a decent surprise." Mutt winked.

Kari snorted. “I can’t believe you’re just messing with him.” She grinned at him playfully. “Gotta teach me some of your tricks, hm?”

Mutt raised a brow, "You wanna steal my tricks for dealin’ with Sans?" He chuckled, "Just flirt a bit."

“He can’t handle it, hm?”

"Can't... is a strong word."

Kari’s grin widened. “So he doesn’t blush or splutter?”

Mutt tilted his head with a matching grin, "Dangerous game you're thinkin'a playing...but I never said that either."

“I’m a good girl,” Kari purred. “Look, I even got a pretty collar.” She tilted her neck.

Mutt ran a finger along the top edge of the collar finger brushing along her skin, "Sure did Teeny Thing."

Kari shivered a little, skin tingling at the gentle touch. Okay, that was surprising. Was he...no. No he was just teasing. Kari pulled away slightly and smiled at him.

Not receptive then, still smart. He let his hand drop, "Nobody gave you trouble on the way back then?"

“Nope! Not sure if that was Sans or because I kept to the shadows, but either way it was convenient. And I got myself a pair of gloves.” She could actually do proper climbing now.

"Least you won’t freeze out there now." Mutt replied. He tilted his head toward the kitchen, "Probably should get started on making lunch."

“Sounds good.” Kari lazily trailed after him to the kitchen.

Mutt leaned against the countertop looking Kari over, "Humans eat anything funny?"

“What do you mean?”

"Took a chance ordering you a drink last night. Wasn't really sure what you can and can't have." He shrugged and started digging through the fridge.

Kari laughed. “Humans,” she informed Mutt cheerfully, “can and will eat anything. Including stuff that’s poisonous. How as a species we haven’t managed to kill ourselves off is proof of how stubbornly hard to get rid of we are.”

"Well that'll work to your advantage down here. Have a favorite food?" he asked pulling out various things, whether for use or just to get at other stuff was a mystery.

Kari shrugged. “I like fruit.” It was always easy to find and grab. Roots were decent too, but they weren’t as sweet.

Mutt looked back at her over his shoulder with a grin, "Girl after my nonexistent heart."Kari laughed and winked at him. He stuck his tongue out at her and went back to his search.

Sans entered the house a couple minutes later and knocked his boots clear of snow before heading for the kitchen. Mutt didn't so much as blink at the noise. He just grabbed some form of dough and used a foot to shut the fridge door behind him.

Sans froze as he saw Mutt before chucking a sharp bone at Mutt. “YOU ESCAPED!”

Kari promptly decided to make herself scarce until things stopped being thrown.

Mutt simply ducked the projectile, "I did, couldn't leave the human unattended, and food isn't just going to make itself."

Sans threw another one at Mutt’s head. “I TRAPPED YOU!” He hissed.

Mutt popped out of the way reappearing behind the other, "Yes, and it was a very nice setup."

Sans threw another bone before Mutt’s words caught up to him. “YOU THINK SO?”

"Of course. If I couldn't just poof I wouldn't have stood a chance." Mutt replied, "Now, can I finish making those pocket things that are so easy to take out on patrols?"

Sans nodded. “YES. MAKE SOME FOR ME TOO,” he ordered. He grinned, very pleased with himself. “IT WAS DIFFICULT HM?” Kari popped her head back out. Wow Sans sounded pleased.

Mutt nodded at the order clicking the oven on to start preheating as he diced up filling ingredients, "Of course, was made by the Malevolent Sans wasn't it?" 

He paused, "I do owe you a pillow though, I managed to go in without my phone. You know my impulse control."

“WHAT?” Sans spun around and rushed to check on his human cage. He opened the door and stared at the mess inside. “MUTT!!!”

Mutt chuckled and finished up stuffing fillings onto their spots sealing the pockets shut and allowing tiny spots for heat to vent, "I'll fix it M'lord."

“YOU BETTER!” Sans headed back to the kitchen fuming. “I WORKED HARD ON IT!” Kari chuckled.

Mutt nodded, "As soon as I get these put in to finish up." Sans nodded sharply and sat down.

“Look on the bright side,” Kari offered cheerfully. “You got to use it!”

“ONLY ON MY IDIOT OF A BROTHER,” Sans huffed. He brightened up. “BUT IT DID WORK PRETTY WELL!”

Did he say brother? Kari glanced over to Mutt.

He nodded, "It did, I was there until she came back." Sans preened. Mutt just grinned setting the tray of food into the oven when it beeped. He made his way over to where the other was sitting hovering behind, "You can take that out when it's done, can't you M'lord?" He clacked a little kiss to the top of the others skull and popped out of the room to go rearrange what he had messed up.

Sans grumbled and looked warily at Kari. She made a show of looking utterly uninterested. Sans shook his head. “I’M NOT STUPID. YOU’RE MORE AWARE THAN THAT.”

Kari dropped the act and looked over at Sans. “Figured you’d be more comfortable if I didn’t push. I don’t plan on getting too involved in whatever personal business you have.”

Sans studied her warily. “HE’S MY BROTHER. DEAD LOYAL. EXTREMELY USEFUL.”

“I’m sure that’s all true,” Kari agreed.

Sans squinted at Kari. “THAT’S ALL YOU’RE SEEING,” he warned.

“As you say.”

Sans really hoped she wouldn’t try and turn it against him. She seemed uninterested in that, but could he trust it?

A faint smoky scent reached him.

“Think that would be lunch.”

“RIGHT!” Sans hastily pulled out the hot pockets.

“Hey! Your hands!”

“YES? WHAT ABOUT THEM?”

Kari stared at his skeletal, very unburnt hands. “Er...That doesn’t hurt?”

“WHAT DOESN’T? SMOKE? IT’S NOT THAT BAD,” Sans huffed.

Mutt popped back into the room having stashed the pillow remains away, "Everything alright down here?"

Kari’s eyes finally snapped away from Sans’ hands. “Do skeletons feel anything at all?”

“OF COURSE WE DO,” Sans scoffed.

"Felt you earlier." Mutt shrugged.

She was not going to blush. She was not going to blush. She was not going to think about the fact that a skeleton might be flirting with her.

Sans looked at Mutt. “SOMETHING I SHOULD KNOW?”

"Just complimented her on wearing your collar pretty." Mutt responded with a little grin.

“IT WAS A GOOD CHOICE.” Sans looked at Kari admiring how a human wore his claim. He wanted to purr in satisfaction.

Mutt nodded, "That it was." Okay, this time she did flush. Kari held her head high, but did feel a little bit like running off from their scrutiny. Sans chuckled. She was an interesting pick of Mutt’s. Definitely more fun not dead.

Mutt wandered over picking up one of the food pockets, "Got your newest gauntlet set up?"

“I DID. I’LL WANT TO RUN A COUPLE TESTS ON IT TO MAKE SURE IT IS FUNCTIONING AS INTENDED,” and not going to backfire in either idiotic or painful ways, “BUT THAT SHOULDN’T TAKE MORE THAN AN HOUR. IT’S IN THE SOUTHERN QUADRANT BY THE CAVES.”

"Want a test subject?" Mutt asked nonchalantly leaning against the countertop.

“NO!” Sans shook his head and glared at Mutt. “TOO DANGEROUS FOR LIVE TESTING.”

"Never said it would be a live one." He shrugged.

Sans tilted his head. “THAT EAGER TO SEE IT?”

"Didn't you make it?" He shot back like he questioned why this was even being asked. Sans grinned and grabbed a hot pocket to snack on cheerfully. Kari watched in disbelief before edging over to poke one. Sure enough, the hot pockets were still too hot for her to eat.

Mutt watched her, "Won't take too long to cool off."

“How are you doing that?” Kari asked. She probably shouldn’t be so openly curious, but she could pass it off as worry that they’d hand her things that would hurt her.

“DOING WHAT?” Sans asked in exasperation. “EATING? I KNOW WE DON’T HAVE SOLID FORMS LIKE A LOT OF MONSTERS, BUT WE ARE STILL MONSTERS AND EAT THE SAME AS EVERYONE ELSE!”

"I think she's more worried about the temperature. She nearly froze in the snow...human bodies are... temperamental."

“HM. WE DON’T NEED TO JUST WORRY ABOUT THE COLD THEN.” Sans looked at Kari. “DO YOU KNOW YOUR RANGE?”

Okay, that was funny to hear someone ask. But they were different species. “I’m good between 12 and 30 degrees Celsius physically. I’m most comfortable between 17 and 24, but I’m good for further than that. Anything below 12 I start needing layers, and anything above 30 starts risking health issues if lingered in for too long.”

“I SEE. SAME FOR TOUCH?”

“I can briefly touch things that are hotter or colder than that, but anything longer than a minute or so risks damage. I don’t actually know the specifics there.”

Mutt listened to her talk, "No wonder you were having trouble with the exposure yesterday. It can drop much lower than that especially when whiteouts hit."

“Yup,” Kari agreed cheerfully. “Could have dropped dead if out there long enough.”

Sans struggled to take this in. Humans were terrifying beings of destruction. And she was suggesting that just being somewhere could kill them? Mutt looked to his brother, this was certainly...news. How under the stars did you keep something like that from happening when the subject wanted to move? And Hotland if she ever chose to cross the borders...?

Kari tilted her head. “Something wrong?”

Mutt blinked, "Just seems odd..."

“It’s not that bad. Just gotta wear layers when it’s cold and make sure to have lots of water and planned places to cool down where it’s hot.”

“THAT SEEMS COMPLICATED.”

Kari tilted her head. “I guess? It’s just something I do. Humans are pretty good at adapting to what’s around them and remembering how to prevent ourselves from dying. There are accidents of course, but not too common.”

“RIGHT.” Sans turned the information in his head. Perhaps he should adapt some of his traps to simply contain instead of trying to damage. It wouldn’t work for monsters, but humans....

Mutt took a bite out of his own food contemplating this newer info. Was the strength in humans mostly from ingenuity? Or were they just powerful enough to have all the time needed to amass the ability to cater to their own needs?

Kari finally seized a hot pocket for herself and cheerfully dug in. “Oh, this is really good!”

Mutt tilted his head letting his mind wander to his earlier musings. What all would he need for that project he thought about?

Sans watched Mutt and Kari as he ate before finally deciding he was ready to head out. “MUTT. WE’RE GOING.”

“Mind if I tag along?” Kari asked cheerfully.

Mutt blinked looking between the two as he rolled back to standing rather than leaning against the counter. If she wanted to come he didn't mind at all, but would Sans?

Sans tilted his head. “AS AMUSING AS IT WOULD BE TO PARADE YOU AROUND, NOT THIS TIME.”

Kari shrugged. “Alright.” She’d just start poking around the town and testing how far she could go before she started being tested then.

Mutt nodded falling into place just slightly behind the other. He had a sneaking suspicion about whether or not she would be into mischief, but didn't voice it. Let her learn on her own.


	4. Traps and Exploring

Sans wove through the trails confidently, eyes out for anyone who was crossing his territory. He threw a bone at a stray snowdrake, the icy bird quickly taking off back to his own territory. Good riddance. Mutt followed along behind his brother, barely giving the idiot coming out of bounds a second glance. He was no threat, certainly not one enough to bother Sans. 

They arrived at the trap Mutt traced the patterns of wire laid out mapping the thing in his mind. Thin gossamer wires laced over the ground, the mechanics hidden in bushes and up in trees to activate the deadly teeth designed to slice limbs. It was well thought out, and expertly executed, as usual. 

"You did good M'lord."

Sans puffed up under the praise. “WE’LL SEE.” He carefully used his magic to construct a bone mannequin and sent it out. The trap whirled silently and shattered the bones. “NO EXPLOSIONS OR LOOSE WIRES. GOOD.”

"You were expecting something to explode?" Mutt questioned raising a brow.

“THERE WAS A 12.35% CHANCE OF THAT.”

Mutt looked back to the trap scanning it over again, "I'm not certain where .15% I'm missing is...but that's still a fairly low chance."

“ENOUGH FOR ME TO WISH TO TEST IT BEFORE LEAVING IT ALONE.” The trap would either behave as he wished, or tinkered with until it did.

"Course, you always have been thorough." He responded with a small smile. The other really was something.

Sans grinned at Mutt. He summoned another construct to test a slightly different section. “HM. I NEED TO INCREASE THE SPEED THERE.”

"Shouldn't be too hard. Knowing you, you'll have it figured out in no time."

Sans grinned at Mutt and pulled out his toolkit. He didn’t bother asking for Mutt to watch out for him. He knew his brother would. He shifted his gravity to allow him to do longer jumps and headed over to the box of gears tied to the wires he was working on. He settled down and began to work.

Mutt took up the watch, mostly unnecessary now, though very much ingrained in his behavior. He grinned at how eager the younger was to get this up and working, he was always so enthusiastic, regardless of circumstances.

Sans talked quietly to himself as he worked, making notes before jumping down to the patch that he’d tripped. The trap snapped but he easily divested it and set to work on the teeth. “Should be ready to take people down now,” he said cheerfully.

Mutt nodded relaxing the tiniest bit now that Sans was clear of the trap itself, not that he lacked faith in the other's abilities...but accidents did happen on occasion.

Sans carefully stepped clear and grinned at Mutt. “NO ONE WILL BE ESCAPING THIS ONE.”

"Sure won't M'lord." Mutt responded returning the grin sent his way.

Sans basked in his brother’s affection before turning and heading back into the woods. He’d do a quick check of the rest of his traps while he was out here.

>>>>>>>>>>>>

Alright, so traps were a lot more common than Kari had expected when she started exploring. To be fair she hadn’t known that it was possible for icicles to be launched like that. Then again, she was in an underground cavern populated by magical monsters. Assuming anything was stupid.  
Kari quietly bound the scrape she’d gotten on her arm, more than glad she had the materials for it.

A small patter of feet echoed in the cavern. A tiny rabbit came ducking around a corner in the path trying to stay as low to the ground as it possibly could. Not far behind a low howl came drifting along. The poor thing shuddered and tried to pick up the pace tripping over their own feet and stumbling through an icy spot. 

A bipedal wolf easily multiplied times larger than the rabbit came barreling around the corner hopping a wire trap. Kari observed the racing pair for a moment before grabbing onto a tree branch and pulling herself partly up. She waited until the rabbit was almost past her before grabbing it and pulling it up after her. The monster gave off a squeak of alarm before clamping its mouth shut shaking. Thrown off the wolf took a completely different path winding to loop back with a curse. 

The rabbit looked up at Kari with little blue-green tears rolling down its face, "You're gonna make him mad at you."

“No idea who that is,” Kari said cheerfully. She grinned at it. “Seems you owe me now.”

"I don't know his name either...and what do you want?" The little one tried to sneer, but the crying marred and fierce that might only have maybe worked on such a baby face in the first place.

“Hm.” Kari tapped her lip thoughtfully. “Got any bandaids?”

The bunny blinked, "I do at home...but that's a ten minute walk and that ring picker is still down there. I don't wanna be a bait bunny for some LV crazy creepo."

“I’m guessing you’re not much of a climber.” Kari considered the situation slowly. She didn’t think she would be able to carry the small monster. Just climbing when the trees were iced over was hard enough.

The rabbit snorted rolling up the tattered sleeves of it dark grey striped sweater and flipping its paws. The fur around the pads was slightly matter from the wet ground, and though the pads themselves seemed scuffed they were obviously not built to be useful around branches, "What're you, soft in the head? Of course I'm not."

Kari snorted. “Right. Well I’m not planning to stick around here, so we’ll just have to hit the ground running.” She gently grabbed the monster before swinging down to the ground and letting it go. “After you.”

The monster squeaked again covering its face with its paws on the way down. It tucked in close to the ground and took off back towards the middle of town, "You really are mental!" It hissed over its should at her.

Kari just ran leisurely behind it. “Doesn’t matter,” she huffed, “you’re still gonna pay me back.” She observed around them carefully dodging the traps she’d already noted.

The rabbit hopped a pitfall and snorted muttering to itself, "Geeze the captain must really like them crazy."

“And this is my payment. A smart mouthed rabbit,” Kari retorted. “Should have left you running.”

The thing sniffed, "Coulda made it back without you yanking me off the ground!"

“Right. So you weren’t crying about being an inch away from dying.”

"NO! That's was from the cold you-you- what the hell even are you, furless wonder."

Kari’s mind raced rapidly reaching for an answer. “I’m a sprite. What, never seen one before?”

"A what?" The bunny stopped twitching its little nose at her. It gave her a hard once over and shook its head, "Whatever, you ain't my business. Just stay close and don't try not to snitch us out to your captain or his funky brother." Then it took a sharp turn and headed around the back of an old building the sign faded to illegible mess. It hopped up and scrabbled through an old broken window that was only partially boarded over.

Kari peered in, and decided to give it a couple minutes before following inside. The little face peeked back. "Really? You let the captain close enough to touch you but you're scared of a little bunny?"

Kari shrugged. “I have a deal with him.” She looked around the dilapidated building.

They pressed their ears to their head, "Blah blah blah I do not want to know anything about that shit!" 

Then they proceeded to move some old floor boards and bring up a pack digging through for a couple of rolls of bandages.

Kari snickered. “Not that kind of deal” She accepted the rolls and settled down, rolling up her arm to change out the temporary binding on her arm to a proper one.

"Why don't you just tell the crazy dog to fix that?"

“Because that’s not part of the deal.” Kari looked at the rabbit and grinned. “Unless you’re saying you’ve got a better deal for me?”

A snort was her reply, "What am I gonna do? Tell you to be my mom?"

Kari paused. This was a kid? She hadn’t known. Now she was even happier that she’d saved him. “Meant for you to pay me with brat, not for me to give you. You definitely couldn’t afford me taking you in.”

The bunny rolled its eyes at her, "Yeah cause I'm dumb enough to try and steal from the charcoal king. Captain's scary enough without him hating my guts."

Kari chuckled. “Thanks for the rolls kid. Hit me up if you want to make any more deals.” She wouldn’t offer her help for free, but...it was a kid. She could at least offer being open to listening.

The kid made an indignant noise, "Just don't go ratting us out. He knows we're here...but that's different than knowing."

Kari rolled her eyes. “Whatever.” She headed back out, mentally noting that there was more than one kid there.

As she left another two pairs of eyes peeked from under an overturned bookcase, though they didn't dare to come creeping from their hiding spot.


	5. Nefarious Plots

"THE HUMAN'S TROUBLE," Sans grumbled as he scribbled down some ideas. "THE TOWN'S TALKING ABOUT HER. HOW SHE DOESN'T STAY STILL OR NOTICE BOUNDARIES." It seemed she'd needed his protection more than he'd thought.

Mutt shrugged peeking over his shoulder, "Used to say the same stuff about you."

"DID YOU SEE HER WHEN SHE CAME BACK? SHE WAS SCRAPED UP AGAIN. I EXPECT I'LL HAVE TRAPS I NEED TO RESET."

"Probably." Mutt replied with a grin.

Sans twisted around to flick his brother in the forehead. "YOU'RE ENJOYING THIS," he accused.

Mutt chuckled, "I can reset most of the traps if you'd rather stick to normal patrols."

"I HAVE A BETTER IDEA," Sans announced. "YOU'RE GOING TO FOLLOW HER, AND TAKE CARE OF THINGS BEFORE THEY BLOW UP." He crossed his arms and grinned, pleased with his master plan.

Mutt blinked "You want me stripes sitting the human? M'lord that hardly seems necessary."

"YOU DON'T NEED TO STEP IN IF SHE GETS HURT," Sans corrected. "ONLY IF SHE'S THREATENING TRIGGERING A WAR BETWEEN GROUPS."

"Guess that makes sense." Though he would keep her from getting too banged up, she was collared.

"YOU CAN MEASURE HOW DANGEROUS SHE IS TOO." Sans leaned back into Mutt. "I DON'T TRUST HOW DOCILE SHE ACTS AROUND US."

Ah, the real reason then. "That is concerning, humans are supposed to be violent..."

"WE STRUCK A DEAL, BUT SHE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE PUSHING FOR LOOPHOLES, OR WAYS TO CHEAT." Which was baffling. "I KNOW SHE'S CAPABLE OF MORE."

"Maybe she has a sense of honor?" Mutt shrugged, whatever it was she made for a good distraction from monotony.

Sans turned around to look at Mutt. "A HUMAN. BEING HONORABLE WITH A MONSTER."

He shrugged, "Can't say that for sure, just thinking out loud."

Sans sank into silence for a long stretch. "IF...IF SHE'S REALLY HONORABLE," Sans said slowly, "DO YOU THINK...THE SURFACE?"

"No telling...it’s a nice thought though." Mutt replied. Maybe...maybe he did need to follow her around some. Do some info recon if nothing else.

Sans grinned. "IMAGINE SEEING REAL STARS PAPYRUS."

Mutt nodded, Stars this was almost nostalgic. It had been awhile since they had talked about the surface. "Would be something wouldn't it?" He replied softly and rubbed the back of his knuckles across the top of Black's skull, purely because he could.

Sans smiled looking at the ceiling. "WE COULD GO WHEREVER WE WANTED. YOU COULD SEE THE OCEAN IF YOU WANTED, OR...OR RACE IN A CAR."

"Sink and freak all the onlookers out." Mutt snorted.

"WHO KNEW NOT EVERYONE COULD DO THAT?" Sans mused.

Mutt snickered, "Alright, I'll keep an eye on her and see how it goes."

"AND YOU'LL COME BACK IN ONE PIECE." Sans spoke it as an order, as if simply saying it made it true.

Mutt thought about simply detaching a finger just to be smart about it, but that would be too far.  
"Course M'lord, always do."

Sans purred. "GOOD MUTT."

Mutt purred back leaning down to wrap around the other in a hug. Sans happily nuzzled his brother. It was nice to think of a future on the surface. He'd given up on that dream years ago as a child when he realized that the barrier being broken would only bring war. Now, now he could dream of it again. At least until the human proved herself untrustworthy.

He was happy enough to stay right where he was and allow the mellow moment. Though part of him was concerned about how things would go if it turned out the surface wasn't what they were thinking. There was always a chance it wasn't.

“ALRIGHT.” Sans reluctantly pulled back. “YOU SHOULD GO FIND HER.” Mutt nodded and obediently pulled away.

>>>>>>>>>>>>  
Kari sat on a bench near the edge of town. It had taken her ten minutes to give up. “Subtlety isn’t in your vocabulary, is it.”

Mutt popped over slumping over the back of the bench, leaning on his forearms. "Damn what gave it away this time?"

Kari chuckled swinging her legs. “It could have been the fact you’ve been following me since I left the house. Or the humming.”

Mutt snickered, "Oh come on, you really want me doing it where you don't know?"

“True, I am a lot happier knowing where you are,” Kari agreed. “Just figured you’d have something better to do than watch me poke around your town.”

"More M'lord's than mine." Mutt mumbled. "But you're welcome to the poking if you like. Might join in on it some, sounds like a good time."

“Maybe you can give me tips on identifying traps,” Kari said cheerfully. “A lot easier to cross if I don’t have to dodge an activated trap every ten minutes.” Okay that was an exaggeration, and she was learning. But this wasn’t her world, and asking a native was smarter than trying to do it all on her own.

"Always assume it's a trap." Mutt responded with a little grin. "I can in fact show you where most of them are set up regularly, but they do get moved on occasion. Or sometimes new ones get put up. And some are false just to fuck with you." He would know, he had set up a couple of those himself.

“If only I could move properly. I might actually have fun.” Kari sighed wistfully.

"Somethin' keepin you from it?" He asked curiously. It's not like the traps were that bad once you learned their placements.

"The cold and ice. It slows me down and I can't climb as easily as I normally do."

"You'll get used to that though, eventually." He pointed out, "Just a little practice."

Kari laughed. "I doubt I'll be here that long."

"Don't know...you're out here all the time. Already doing at least a little better spotting the traps."

"I've only been here a few days." Kari looked over at Mutt. "Gotta say the company's better than I'm used to."

Mutt laughed, "Must not have a lot of company then."

"Nope! I'm pretty much a lone wolf." Kari leaned towards Mutt.

He tilted his head, "Must be lonely living like that." He didn't want to imagine a world where he wasn't living with Sans. That wasn't anything he'd want to repeat over.

Her breath caught lightly. “I suppose. But it’s better than being with others and still alone.”

"World hasn't been a nice place for you has it?" He questioned, he hadn't missed that hitch in her breathing.

"That's how it is." Kari shrugged and grinned up at him. "Don't imagine it's been easier for you."

"Maybe not, but there's always been Sans to worry about. Being completely alone...terrible." he grinned and reached over to ruffle her hair, "Anyway, let's go fuck up some people's hard work yeah?"

Kari ducked slightly at the touch and stuck her tongue out at him. "Race you." She took off, quickly heading deeper into the woods.

Mutt stood from his hunched position over the bench, "That's cheatin'." He called after her, right before poofing off into nothing and appearing further in front of her.

"Hey! What do you call that?" Kari changed direction to charge right at him.

Mutt shrugged seemingly unthreatened by her charge, "Never said I was gonna play fair. Didn't set any rules to start with."

Kari caught up and grabbed his arm to swing past him, laughing cheerfully.

Mutt snorted as she took off past him, did he want to put effort into following her on foot? Eh she was short enough, although she was very quick, that his legs would catch him up soon...what the hell, why not? He waited for her to gain some distance before he loped after her.

Kari’s heart raced, the thrill of the chase for once not tainted with fear. She grinned ferally as she twisted through the trees, feeling him gain on her. This was surprisingly amusing. She was agile and small enough to duck trees and spaces that his size made much more difficult. Hopefully she was still paying attention to where she was stepping out here.

Kari spun around a corner and slipped on a patch of ice. She cursed as she dug for anything to help herself stop from sliding.

Mutt snickered and caught the back of her jacket keeping her from sliding away, "Alright there?"

Kari got her feet beneath her and twisted to look up at Mutt. "Aw man. I was sure I wouldn't be caught."

"Would you rather be eating ice about now?" He shook the back of her jacket, "Could always let go."

"You wouldn't!"

Mutt raised a brow and lightly shoved her back, magic at the ready in case she really did start to bite ice.

Kari whooped and laughed as she spun on the ice before catching her balance. "Ha!"

Mutt leaned against a tree and watched her, "Big enough patch there to just slip around a bit."

Kari hummed as she slid back and forth over the ice. "Nice."

"When we get back later let me see your gloves."

Kari looked at Mutt warily. "Why?"

He shook his head, "That part’s a secret. I'll have them back to you by morning before you go skittering off."

Kari considered it before shrugging. She could always just conveniently forget to wear the gloves again. “Alright.”

He nodded settling against the tree as he watched her slide around.

Kari eventually turned back to Mutt with a wide grin. “So, help spotting the subtler traps?”

"Sure startin' with other side of the ice over there. See the little bump?" He nodded off toward the side.

“Trap?” Kari examined it carefully, looking for anything to make it stand out from normal bumps in the snow.

"In a way. Ice gets to heavy, thickens up to much...sets it off and it snaps. Cracks the whole thing apart. Get too close and you can get hit."

“Huh. I thought you only had to worry about ice getting too thin.”

"You see this place? There hasn't been a good hard snow in a couple months."

“Hm.” Kari stepped off the ice and grabbed a stick to deliberately poke the bump.”

Mutt popped up just behind her taking hold of the hand with the stick, "Try it this way." He directed her arm to tap at the front of the little hill. With a large snap the trap triggered slamming down a large rock that sent a crackling web of pattern across the ice.

Kari jumped back as soon as the trap snapped. “Well, I definitely am not making assumptions now.”

"Always the best idea." Mutt replied scooping her up to navigate across the breaking ice chips to a safer space.

Kari stiffened, for a moment considering fighting his hold before deciding to tolerate it. She didn’t know how the ice behaved well enough to be able to cross safely herself. “This is why I keep getting pushed back. I don’t know enough.”

"It'll come. You already made a couple of mistakes, ones you probably won't make again right?" He set her back down into the snow once they were past the slick cracked surface.

Kari took a couple quick steps away from him. “Yeah. Some of those traps would have maimed me if I hadn’t been fast enough.”

"Then it's a good thing you are isn't it?" He grinned back ambling along. "You could set your own you know. Block off a little place to hide for a bit if you needed."

Kari blinked slowly. “What?”

"Didn't think about it? Setting up a couple trap of your own around to ward off others...not such a different thing around here. Could ask M'lord for notes on how to make somethin decent."

“I doubt it’d work, but making a couple traps could be fun.”

"Usually you don't mess with someone's space...less you got a bone to pick with them." He shrugged.

“What? Someone’s space?” Kari tilted her head. “You can’t own stuff.”

Mutt blinked, "Really now? That's an interesting way to think of things..."

“It’s only yours as long as you can keep hold of it. And I’m not strong enough to keep hold of anything.” Kari shrugged.

Mutt tilted his head, "So that why you freak out getting picked up?"

Kari shrugged languidly. “Not used to others touching me.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets, "Damn was gonna make some handy jokes if you said yeah."

Kari snorted. "I am not a mini human to stick in your pocket and tote around." She grinned widely at him.

He chuckled, "That's fine, I ain't a purse pooch either."

“You sure? I could try to fit you in,” Kari teased.

"You actually carry a purse?" Mutt asked slightly surprised.

“I’m sure we could find one.” Kari batted her eyes innocently.

Mutt snorted, "Ah I see. Tame the feral beast type eh?"

“Yes, that’s entirely my type.” Kari laughed again.

He grinned, "Would explain a few things for sure."

“Oh? Like what?”

"Why you're so fun to watch for one."

"It's not my charming habit of falling into traps?" Kari joked.

"Maybe if you'd figure I could help and let me." Mutt responded eyeing the arm he knew had bandages recently if not still.

"Sure! Having you tag along sounds fun."

"High compliments."

Kari snickered. She headed back into a section with traps, carefully moving around and looking for a clear path through to let her go out further.

"Two steps left." Mutt trailed along behind her.

Kari paused, took two steps to the left, and examined the area she'd been about to walk into. Was that some kind of glimmer, or was she imagining things?

Mutt dangled a small stick over her, "Wanna check it out?"

"You know me too well." Kari accepted the stick and poked.

Mutt watched the pikes that flashed as they moved about once triggered. Careful not to get close enough to chip a bone again Sans would be pissed.

"Whoa. That was almost beautiful."

"And there goes your illusion of sanity." Mutt teased.

Kari laughed. "What, you don't think something working well is beautiful? It's like watching a deer in flight, or someone dancing, or fighting. Yes it's just a trap, but someone crafted it. And there's a beauty in that."

"I'd say practical over pretty." Mutt shrugged, "I suppose both work though."

"I think you don't take enough time to see it."

"You sound entirely to much like M'lord." He ruffled her hair, "Should I be referring to you as the Mistress?"

"What, really? The big tough captain that terrifies the town talks about how pretty the world is?"

Mutt faked a gasp slapping a hand over his chest above where his soul would flutter if exposed, "Now where did you hear such a vile rumor?" He grinned through the whole thing.

"Might have heard it from a passing dog," Kari joked.

"Must have been one mangy ass mutt." He snickered motioning her on.

Kari laughed as she wandered out further out. She might actually break further than she normally did.

Mutt followed along with a watchful eye, "What's it like up there?"

"What? On top of the mountain?"

"Outside of the underground in general." He replied shoving his hands back into his pockets, "Most of us...don't actually know."

"Who put the barrier up?"

"Humans...a long time ago. You don't know any of this?" He questioned.

“Nope! Doesn’t surprise me though. Humans tend to forget about things they don’t like.” Kari stretched out. “The world above this mountain? I could never describe it. There’s too much. You could wander the world for a hundred years and still haven’t seen even a tenth of what it holds.”

That...was a scary thought, but at the same time incredibly exciting as well. He hummed a little in thought, "And if the barrier did break?"

“Are you asking how humans will react, or what will happen to monsters? Cause I honestly don’t know for the second.”

He shrugged, "Not sure really. Just thinking out loud."

Kari hummed. “People won’t like it, but I bet you and your lord would be fine. The world’s big. You’d find somewhere.”

Mutt laughed under his breath, "Sure if we get out. Just like that the fighting ends?"

Kari laughed. “You’re not that naive.”

"No, but at least here I know the rules."

Kari hummed, before stopping and turning to look at Mutt. “You follow the rules you choose. That’s true even above ground. The only real rule? Don’t get caught.” She grinned widely. “And you’re too good to be caught.”

Well, that wasn't exactly the most true thing ever said. Close enough to it though. "There's the real reason I like you."

“What? My ability to boost your ego?”

"Your view of the world. I don't really need the boost, save that for Sans."

Kari shrugged. “Just pointing out the obvious.”

"Its refreshing. Haven't been around anyone that blunt about it for awhile." He admitted half lost in thought.

Kari laughed. “Yeah, I do tend to be too blunt. Know I shouldn’t be, but whaddya know? One of the things I just don’t care about.”

"Nah, not too much. Or maybe I just don't care either." He laughed about it, but it was honest truth.

Kari hummed softly walking along with him. She slowed as it began to grow foggy.

Mutt tilted his head watching to see what she would do.

“I think this is the farthest I’ve gotten before.” Kari took another step directly into a trap.

Mutt snatched her backward popping them to another spot, "Heading into waterfall past here."

Kari shivered slightly. “Great. Is there a bridge past it?”

"You can get around for the right price, same as anywhere else down here." He shrugged, "Not as familiar with it as I am Hotland or the capital. Few folks here and there....but mostly keep out."

“Wait, it’s a place? Not a waterfall?”

"There is a waterfall. Just like Snowdin has snow. Hotland is...you'll want to lose the coat pretty quick."

Kari shook her head. “Okay. So this should be interesting. And most people don’t go there?”

"Most people stick to their own spaces. We move a little more freely because M'lord is guard Captain." He explained.

“He’s really important here, huh?” What an interesting dichotomy. Snowdin being so much more open while the people derided the one who made it possible.

"For the most part." Mutt nodded, "But there's always flaws in the system."

“Of course.” Kari tilted her head. “Are you aware of the kid monsters running wild?”

"The library ones? Yeah, parents dusted for whatever reason and no family to take 'em in. Do all sorts of odd jobs around to get by. Wasn't that different not to long ago."

Kari nodded. “Why are they terrified of Sans knowing? Since I’m pretty sure he already does.”

"Cause if someone could prove it, easy points for guard to come clear them out. He'd be obligated for position to put in the paperwork, puts a big target right on their backs." Mutt fumbled in a pocket finding a dog treat, "Guard knocked my screws loose, and I was a lot closer to out of stripes than any of them are."

Kari shivered. She shouldn’t be surprised. This place didn’t hide its ugly, but she had heard of similar things. Funnily enough she was wishing for the veneered pretense that people protected kids. Kari rubbed her arms. “Huh.”

"There's not much else to do except ignore that they're there legit. Shops toss imperfect wares and things that they need. They know to make the rounds."

Kari gave a half shrug. "Well, it works."

He nodded, "It does."

Kari shuffled slowly through the fog. “How did anyone see well enough to even leave traps?”

"When you've been here all your life you've seen thinner days, and thicker days, and learned the pathways." He avoided one of the traps he knew was there on occasion, "And it only takes once to mess up and be gone."

“This’ll thin?”

"Thin some, but never really be gone." He nodded.

"I should try on a day when it's thinner then. I don't like my chances if I try today when I'm still learning to pick out traps in areas it's clear."

"Smart. Where you wanna go?"

"Back to that area that had like ten traps in it? I should study them more."

Mutt nodded holding out a hand with a little smile, "Hey little lady want a ride?"

"Got a price on that?"

"Call it a perk." He tapped on the collar, "Comes with advantages."

Kari jerked slightly when he reached for her neck before relaxing. "Right. Sounds good to me then."

"Ain't out to hurt you. Not part of the deal."

“I know.” Kari grinned easily at Mutt. She knew she had protection, that Mutt wouldn’t hurt her. That would break the deal.

If only that actually carried over to how she felt.

Mutt nodded, she had no reason to trust him yet, her reaction made sense.

She boldly stepped over into his reach. “So. Shortcut?”

Mutt smiled taking hold of her, "Sure thing teeny girl." He popped them back to the area she was asking about, outside the fog.

Whoa, that was still disorienting. Kari held onto him for a moment to reorient before letting go and stepping back. “Teeny girl?”

He looked down at her pointedly, "Can you think of a better word?"

Kari laughed. “Alright.”

“So, trap advice! I’m gonna need something better than “avoid suspicious snow patches,” considering how pretty much all the snow qualifies for that.”

"Worry more about depressions rather than drifts. High traffic areas are more likely to have trap along them. Keep watch out for wires or threads around ankle height to." He suggested.

“Huh. I would have thought the paths were safe spots for the trap makers.”

"You'd think, except they're mostly built on the safest terrain physically. So you make for easy targets as you follow along."

“I really need to get better at handling ice.” It seemed the trees were her safety even more than normal here.

"Take it there's not a lot of it up there?" He questioned.

“There are in some places, but I’ve never needed to linger. I could always leave, and there were always safer places for me to be.”

"Shoe size?" He asked sizing her up a bit. It had been awhile since he'd had to work with someone not used to the weather, but he had taught himself, and Sans.

“What?” That was a random segue.

"What's your shoe size?" He repeated, fairly straightforward. "Might be a to help, but need the tools to do it."

“Six.” Kari looked at her feet, wiggling her toes in her shoes. She probably would have been better off with boots.

He nodded, "Alright. Watch your step."

Kari plunged into the deeper snow, shivering slightly, and stepped over to examine the indents for glimpses of wires or shimmers of magic. Mutt kept a careful eye on her, she was already shivering. If she ended up soaked it could be worse for her hp. Kari spotted quite a few tests, and a handful of spots that might be snow shine or a trap. She didn’t poke at these, just content to test herself and wander around. Mutt followed along behind her lazily slumped into his slouching posture. He did flip the finger at a tiny spider once, probably not the best to antagonize the woman it was attached to but oh well.

“You flip the woods off often?”

"Spider."

“Ah. So you just flip off the proprietor of the only good source of cocoa in town.”

"Ouch my pride."

Kari walked over and patted Mutt’s arm. “It’s alright. I’m sure you’ll recover.”

He grinned at her, "Maybe."

“Need me to kiss it better?” Kari teased.

"Wouldn't argue against it." He shrugged.

Kari blew him a kiss, laughing. He paused with a grin for a second, not entirely expecting her to play along. Huh who knew? Obliviously she turned away and walked back through the woods. He followed along after her, he might really have to own up to making cocoa sooner rather than later. She looked like she was getting chilled for real.

“Alright, we should go back.” Kari looked at Mutt. “You can tell your lord I did not in fact make any nefarious plots.”

"Could just tell him yourself." Mutt grinned grabbing her shoulder and popping them back to the living room. Mutt let go of the girl and flopped himself over onto the couch, "You gonna be good, or should I be trying the whole body heat thing?"

“Do skeletons produce body heat?” Kari shrugged her jacket off and headed for the blankets.

"We are living things." He snorted, "Same as anything else we fluctuate."

“Well I certainly wouldn’t object to cuddling. That fall under privileges too?”

"Without question." He grinned opening his arms. Kari hesitated for a moment before sauntering over to lean on Mutt. He pulled her in a bit twitching around until he was able to curl about her.

“Well whaddya know. You’re like a mini furnace.” Kari leaned into him contentedly.

"So I have been complained at before."

“Complained huh?” Kari laughed. “And who was doing that? Lover? Your brother?”

"Maybe both, once upon a time." He teased back, "Gonna add to the list?"

“Nah. This is pretty cozy.” Kari suppressed a yawn.

Mutt snuggled down into the couch, "Nap time?"

“Sounds good to me.”

Sans found them like that later. A rare fond look crossed his face, and he grabbed a blanket to tuck around the pair.


	6. Tracks of the Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: start of incest

A badly scarred lynx walked into town, patches of fur turned white from growing back over scars. She snarled at a kid that came too close, sending the winged monster fluttering off the best that he could. Mutt rolled his eyes at the posturing from his post leaning against a tree. He recognized that swagger though, probably wore it himself a few times over the years come to think about it.

The lynx spotted the skeleton and paused. “Papyrus?”

Aw shit they noticed him. He inwardly sighed, just another day. Do not engage… 

The monster squinted and moved closer. “You are Papyrus, aren’t you?”

"Who's asking?" He eyed the other, hands flexing in his pockets.

“Lexra.” The lynx laughed. “I thought you were dead! Man, you had a good run in the rings didn’t you?”

"Nah, still slumping around." He shrugged, "Was decent for awhile there."

“Decent? I wish I was decent,” Lexra snorted. “Hey, why don’t you let me buy you a drink? You can tell me how retirement’s treating ya.”

He should decline. Sans would be beyond livid if he was late. Should didn't mean he would though. "Sure we can hit up Muffet's." old habits die hard

Lexra grinned. “Great! Lead the way Papyrus.” The lynx walked confidently beside him, completely heedless of the fear the captain’s mad mutt bestowed on the populace.

"How's the ring going anymore?" He questioned strolling over to the oddly cheerful door to Muffet's.

“Same old, same old. We had to move when Undyne started getting a little too interested in the winners.” Lexra ordered an orange liqueur and sipped at the sweet drink. “We’ve got a new champion coming up if he doesn’t dust in the next rounds.” Muffet crossed one pair of arms handing off a bottle to Mutt giving them both a very pointed look. There were rules to her establishment thank you very much. Dust wasn't welcome in her linens. 

"Sounds promising. Might have to look up the track record."

“I remember hearing about you. You were what? Not even out of stripes when you started?”

"Had a few years still in them, yeah." He agreed. Stars did people really remember that shit? Surely things weren't that slow around the rings.

"We've got a kid claiming to be following in your footsteps coming up. Seems he's a real fan." Lexra laughed. "If he knew you were alive you can bet he'd be here challenging you."

"Kids oughta just be kids." He snorted, "Remember being that idiot though."

"What?" Lexra snorted. "You've gone soft or something?"

"No." He grinned, "Said I remember being the little idiot. Grew into a bigger one."

She laughed, throwing back another drink. "Hey, you really oughta come by. Meet our current champ, Baxter. He's an ugly one, but he's got the LOVE to make up for it."

"How high?" He questioned sipping out of his own bottle. That would be so easy, pop in and watch a couple rounds, get back home before he was really missed.

"He's a thirteen." Lexra grinned. "Almost as high as the captain."

Mutt didn't correct that it was right around on par. There was an itch starting to build to really go check this situation out. If nothing else just for old times sake. It was where he had learned a lot of stuff.

"Well?" Lexra asked.

"Might be tempting." He replied playing with the bottle in his hands, "Exciting to check out the newbies if nothing else."

"And more entertaining than retirement! Seriously, what are you doing?"

"Depends on the day...but mostly half dusting from boredom. Occasionally chasing something or other." He replied.

"Seriously? Why on earth would you do that?"

"So I'm only half way to dust." He snorted.

Lexra punched Papyrus in the shoulder and laughed. "Ha! Good one!" She drank more. "I'll let the guys know you're coming down. We're down in the gutter of Waterfall, just past the dump."

"Yeah, let them know. I'll find my way over there." He grinned.

Lexra finished her drink. "Good to see you Papyrus." She dropped some coins to pay for her drink and headed back out. Who would have guessed Papyrus was hiding out here?

He nodded after her. Muffet came over to collect the funds and glass, "Your brother is going to dismember you if he finds out Pappy dear." 

"You gonna be the one squeaking at him?" 

"Of course not. Much more lucrative to let you dig your hole and place a few bets." She admonished. He shrugged, she was probably right.  
>>>>>>>

Sans paced in the living room. "WHERE IS HE?" Mutt was always home on time. Had something happened? Why was he late? Had he just gotten distracted? Should he look for him, or would that look too close to a weakness?

Mutt popped in shaking some snow from a small flurry outside off his shoulder by the door.

"MUTT!" Sans scowled darkly at his brother. "YOU'RE LATE YOU IMBECILE! ARE YOU TOO BRAIN DAMAGED TO USE A CLOCK?"

He blinked, "Sorry...got caught up at Muffet's. Maybe took a little to long finishing a drink." He moved over to kneel by the side of the couch, he was well aware the other was flustered about the whole thing.

"IDIOT!" Sans hit Mutt, breathing heavily. He was here. He was safe. He'd just been a little slow, that was all. Just a normal, everyday thing. Nothing to panic over.

Mutt let the blow hit home with a satisfying burn, "Sorry M'lord." He leaned over placing his face calmly against the other's chest.

Sans hugged Mutt to him tightly. "YOU'RE STAYING IN MY ROOM TONIGHT. CAN'T TRUST A DUMB DOG TO NOT WANDER OFF."

Mutt nodded nuzzling against the other, "Wanna go now?"

"YES. YOU CAN SERVE ME SUPPER IN BED LIKE A GOOD PET." Mutt simply wrapped his arms around Sans and rocked to his feet bringing the smaller with him. Sans curled automatically into the safety of his big brother.

Mutt simply adjusted his hold on the other to carry him easier. Heading for the bedroom, "Any requests in that case?"

"RAVIOLI," Sans demanded.

"You want that from scratch or will predone work?"

"SO LAZY," Sans tsked. "FINE, PREDONE WILL DO." He didn't want Mutt to leave him for too long.

"Right away your highness." Mutt sassed teasing.

"MOUTHY MUTT."

He grinned lightly mouthing at the others shoulder.

"PAPYRUS!" Sans squirmed playfully but didn't pull away. He laughed and popped them the rest of the way to the bedroom. No point in not speeding up the process. Sans sat imperiously on his bed waiting for his brother to return with supper. After a few moments he was back, balancing a tray in his hands. He was quiet coming over to sit by the smaller balancing the tray across his lap.

Sans nodded at his brother and took his bowl of ravioli to eat. Mutt reached over snatching the fork from the others bowl, "Nope, you said serve. Let me do my job."

“WHAT?” Sans scowled at his brother. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

Mutt grinned with a little hum and worked the utensil between his fingers a bit before offering the other a bite, "Told you, just doin' my job."

Sans deadpanned at his brother. “YOU’RE FEEDING ME.”

"Yep."

“BY HAND.”

"Mhmm," he wiggled the fork at the other, "you gonna cooperate?"

Sans pouted. “I’M NOT A BABYBONES,” he complained.

"Didn't say you were. Not the point either." He replied.

Sans looked suspiciously at Mutt. "NOT A JOKE?"

"Not a joke, just a gesture." He confirmed with a nod.

Sans debated it for a moment before opening his mouth. Well look there, he would go for it. Mutt really hadn't been sure he would, it set him to purring as he fed the other delicately. Sans slowly relaxed. This was a little weird, but his brother was here and they were safe. Hearing Papyrus purr was nice too. He flashed a grin at his brother. Good, so Sans wasn't angry with his idea either. That was a relief. He continued on feeding the other, taking in any subtle cues about mood quietly.

"SOMETIMES I THINK YOU TAKE SERVING ME TOO FAR," Sans remarked quietly as he finished off a bite.

"Do I? I could always do more." He shrugged, and happily so.

"YOU'RE LITERALLY HAND FEEDING ME RIGHT NOW," Sans pointed out.

"Yep, what of it?"

Sans rolled his eyelights. "I DOUBT YOU COULD GO FARTHER."

Mutt tilted his head, "There are other things I could do for you, if you cared to ask."

"OH YEAH? LIKE WHAT?" Sans challenged.

Mutt shrugged, "Could always bed warm."

Sans paused. "REPEAT THAT?"

"Really, or is this one of those I don't get it moments?" He questioned.

Sans blushed. "I KNOW WHAT BEING A BED WARMER IS!"

"Well thank Stars for small favors." He grinned, "Would make things awkward having to explain that."

He crossed his arms and pouted. "I'M NOT AN IDIOT."

"No you're not. You're the very genius captain of the guard." Mutt replied poking at his cheek, the face really was cute.

"MWE!" Sans stuck his tongue out. "BUT REALLY. I WOULDN'T-I MEAN-A BED WARMER? I THOUGHT..."

Mutt raised a brow, "You thought?"

"WE'RE BROTHERS. RIGHT?"

"Yep."

"AND...BROTHERS DON'T HAVE SEX TOGETHER. RIGHT?" Sans fidgeted a little.

"Not regularly no." He shrugged.

"OH." Sans thought that over. "BUT THEY DO DO IT?"

Mutt shrugged, "I wouldn't know. Not exactly privy to all of the Underground's sex life."

"JERK!" Sans fidgeted. "I DIDN'T KNOW."

Mutt snorted, "Should I run a survey?"

"NO!" Sans elbowed Papyrus. He grinned swaying with the blow, not enough to drop the bowl or upset the tray on his lap, but enough to be exaggerated.

"YOU ARE A DISASTER," Sans complained. He looked at his brother. Really looked this time, taking in his long limbs and strong bones. He supposed his brother was handsome. But did he want him? Sans had never felt any particular desire for his brother. He hadn't even occurred to Sans as an option.

"Never did claim I wasn't." Mutt quipped back suddenly very aware of the other's stare on him, he stilled. Sans didn't feel himself burning with lust or any desire to jump his brother. In the end he shrugged and turned back to the food, reaching to steal back the fork.

Mutt leaned back out of the way holding it beyond reach, "Really now is that needed?"

"I'M HUNGRY!"

Mutt shrugged, "You didn't seem to have an issue before." He offered up another bite. Sans pouted before accepting the next bite. Mutt was right back to purring, otherwise silently feeding the other.

"AND PEOPLE THINK I'M THE ONE IN CONTROL," Sans sassed.

Mutt blinked, "Does it bother you?"

"DOES WHAT?"

"How I act." Sure he was a little out there, but he could try reigning it in as much as possible if it was causing Sans problems.

Sans snorted, before looking at Mutt and blinking. "YOU'RE SERIOUS."

Mutt shrugged, "For the most part try to be."

"WELL." Sans quickly climbed into his brother's lap and looked up at his face. He traced a hand over the scar over his eye. "YOU'RE MY BROTHER. MY LOYAL DOG. MY PROTECTOR. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ASK YOU TO CHANGE."

Mutt nodded, ok then still good. Things were ok. He leaned his head down on the other's shoulder.

Sans hugged Mutt. "I DON'T WANT YOU ANY WAY OTHER THAN YOU ARE."

He nodded against his brother's shoulder once before leaning back and offering up another bite. Sans pulled himself up proudly and ate with all the grace of a king hosting a grand feast. It might as well have been with all the confidence and happiness he had where he was. Mutt went back to smiling, Sans always had that way about him. He'd command more attention than the Queen herself in the same room.

Sans finished off his meal. "GO CLEAN THAT MESS UP," he ordered.

"Right away M'lord." Mutt responded with a wink popping out of the room.

"MOUTHY BROTHER," Sans complained to no one. He strode over to the bookshelf before picking out one on the history of traps. He crossed to the bed and settled in it before waiting for Mutt to return.

It took a few moments for the other to return considering the fact he actually took the time to wash up the dishes properly, and perhaps calm some... racing thoughts. He popped in next to the door.

"MUTT." Sans gestured for his brother to come and kneel at his bed. He did so without question, or hesitation; folding himself impressively small for his stature. “TONIGHT’S BOOK.” He passed it to Mutt to read to him.

Mutt took the book examining the cover, a history lesson then. He grinned flipping it open and starting to follow along the page eventually settling to lean against the side of the bed so he could tilt the book and allow the other to see the small diagrams that accompanied many of the theories.

Sans listened eagerly, tracing his gaze over the various diagrams as they were made relevant. He loved hearing how traps became so prominent. From simple territory protection, to used against humans; from the war to the change in being Underground.

And there was the pivotal difference in him and his brother. The wild enthusiasm from the other was encouraging, even when the subject matter wasn't something he preferred. He grinned occasionally glancing from the book to the other's face much more interested in the excitement of Sans' features than the actual content of the book.

Eventually Sans decided that was enough for the night. “ALRIGHT. COME JOIN ME.”

Mutt rocked to his feet to set the book back in its place before coming back to the bed. He crawled on curling around the smaller form.

Sans sighed contentedly. “YOU SCARED ME,” he admitted softly.

"'M sorry. I shouldn't have stayed that late without shooting you a warning." He murmured settling in.

“DO WARN ME NEXT TIME. OR MY RESPONSE WON’T BE AS PLEASANT.” He squeezed Mutt as if he’d disappear if Sans let go.

Mutt nodded wrapping the other up tucking him under his chin and curling tighter around him, "I'll do better about it."

“GOOD.” Sans breathed in his brother’s scent, letting the mix of honey and smoke assure him that this was real. They were still together. Mutt hummed a lazy reply snuggling the younger male. Sans drifted off to sleep, warm and content in his brother’s arms.


	7. Pushing Boundaries

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sudden violent character death

Mutt leaned against the door frame and knocked a couple of times. Was the human even in the room?

Kari opened the door, hair half brushed out and falling in her face. “Yeah?”

Oh no, that was ridiculously cute. He held out the pair of gloves, modified to help with the situation. "You gonna need help with that?"

Kari pushed some strands out of her face and accepted the gloves cautiously. “Looking for an excuse to touch?” She joked.

"Maybe." He shrugged, it did look soft.

“Sure. Better than chopping it all off.”

Mutt raised a brow, "You do that yourself?"

“Cutting in a straight line isn’t too hard. And I can pickpocket enough money for a decent cut every once in a while.”

Huh, so she could thieve decently...interesting. He reached over running a single finger through the brushed out section of hair. Kari grinned and moved away to put down the gloves and brush out the other half of her hair. Mutt tilted his head following after her to watch how she worked through her hair. Kari slowly worked gently through the tips up higher into her hair. 

“Gonna stand there or are you going to help?” She teased.

"Not exactly used to working with that material ma'am." He quipped back.

Kari tilted her head, and held out her brush to him. “Here. Just gently run it through.”

"From the bottom?" That seemed counterproductive but it's what she had been doing.

“Yup, and then work your way up. Keeps the tangles from tugging on my head.” He hummed an agreeable noise carefully taking the brush to her hair soothing his hand over the top of the section in an attempt to curb any pulling.

Kari closed her eyes. “Not bad for a beginner.”

Mutt pet her hair gently working through any tangles he found carefully. "Everyone's hair this soft?"

“Nope! I have some of the finest hair, which means it tangles like nothing else, but most people have slightly coarser hair. Some people’s hair actually feels wiry, but that isn’t common.”

"Huh interesting." He wondered if she would be opposed to letting him mess with it more often.

“So I’m guessing most monsters take after animals? And don’t have hair?”

"Some do, some don't. Never messed with anyone's though."

Kari thought about it and snorted. “Right. I forgot about Muffet.”

"Undyne's was longer, about waist length last I saw her. Been awhile from that though."

“Yeah? Who’s that?”

"She's a scientist. Nasty businesses..." he finished up with the brush running his fingers carefully through to test for hidden knots.

Kari winced slightly when he tugged a little too hard on a knot,

Mutt carefully worked his fingers out and took the brush back to the area, "Sorry..."

“It’s fine. It happens.”

"Doesn't mean it isn't painful."

“Your brushing actually feels nice for the most part.” He was a lot gentler than she was with herself.

"It's not too much?" He questioned simply. This was actually fairly soothing, how odd.

“No. You’re being pretty nice about it.”

"Nice..." Not something that was usually tossed about in the same body of language with him.

“Yup. I haven’t had anyone else brush my hair except when my hair’s being cut for...I don’t know. Years.”

"Happy to be of assistance then." He grinned at her. Kari turned her head to smile back. Mutt blinked and handed her back the brush, fighting himself not to rub his face in her hair. "You have plans?"

“I was going to see if the fog thinned, and then see if Sans is willing to show me how to rig some traps for myself.”

"Solid ideas." He nodded, "Want a lift to the outskirts, or would you rather walk?"

“Walk with me?”

Mutt grinned, "Aw Teeny thing I am touched, of course I'll be your escort."

Kari laughed. “Gotta take my time with you when I can. I am madly infatuated with you.” She blew a comical kiss and mimed fainting.

Mutt snickered, "Well isn't that a kick? Could always appreciate time catering to you too."

“I bet the girls swoon over you with that attitude.”

"Who said anything about other girls?" He questioned lightly.

Kari blinked, before forcing a light laugh. “What, you don’t escort all the pretty girls?”

"Nope, just a specific one, recent development to."

No. He couldn’t like her. If he liked her, he’d want to keep her. To keep her, he’d trap her. She couldn’t be trapped.

Kari flashed a wide blinding smile at him. “Right. Alright, I need to change my clothes.”

Mutt nodded backing out of the room, "Need help just whistle."

“Of course.” As soon as he was out and the door was closed Kari headed out the window. She couldn’t get past the traps keeping her in Snowdin, but right now she couldn’t think of that. She just needed to run.

Mutt blinked listening to the scuffle in the room, well that was a bit unexpected. Too much? Probably too much. Should he go after her, or just let her be? And that was the window, huh. She was a brave little thing. Mutt chuckled and headed back to the living room. Another time then.  
>>>>>>>>>>>

The entrance for the fight ring was rather cleverly hidden behind a waterfall, revealing a cave that had been carefully excavated to allow more people. It lead down to where plenty of monsters brushed shoulders, for once being cheerful about the crowding rather than sour. Pets serviced their masters in plain view while others were boasted about. And in the center was a simple ring, only a faint glimmer to show the magic keeping the fighters from spilling out into the frenzied crowd.

Mutt wandered through the crowd, for the most part well used to the behaviors around him. Hell he even caught sight of a decent amount of familiar faces...that was probably more disturbing than anything else.

“Entering the ring! Scrappy and Lizzar!” The announcer shouted. Two kids entered the ring, a dog monster that looked far too skinny and a lizard that looked almost ready to leave stripes.

“Papyrus!” Lexra shouted. “Over here!”

Mutt glanced to where he heard his name and then looked back to the ring as he picked his way around the crowd to Lexra, "Got a decent crowd goin."

“I would expect so! Got a couple beasts going in the next round.” Lexra downed a drink as her golem companion looked at Mutt. “You’re Papyrus?”

He surveyed the other monster with a lazy grin, "'So 'm told."

“I’m Jadite. How many rounds did you fight?”

He shrugged, "Lost count. Was here years before I ever stepped foot in, spent a few years doing it."

“Years?” The golem looked to Lexra to confirm it.

“Yup! You should see if you can get him to show you his style. It’s gorgeous,” The lynx said cheerfully. In the ring the dog monster finally managed to tear out their opponent’s throat.

"Lacking fleshy bits helps lines look straighter, it isn't half as elegant as people think." He grinned.

Lexra laughed. “We’ll have to test that,” Jadite offered. An aquatic monster with tentacles entered next, racing against an armor monster.

Mutt sized the two in the ring up thinking about the subtle offer, he shouldn't. But the rush from a good fight- from winning a good fight..."Might just have to."

“We got a new contender?” A fire elemental asked curiously. The tentacled monster in the ring took a limb off its opponent.

Mutt watched in slight amusement, there was a joke for that. He just knew it. "More like an old one."

The fire elemental looked him over. “Haven’t heard of you before.”

“Before your time. Remember Papyrus? That skeleton guy we all thought died?” Lexra said.

“That’s you?”

"I'd say in the flesh, but." He shrugged.

Jadite laughed and slapped Mutt on the back. “Ha!”

Mutt just grinned at the friendly gesture, "Lex said you guys had a high LV kid runnin' around here?"

“What, Ty? You interested in seeing him?” The elemental asked.

"Might make a couple of bets if he seems worth it." Mutt responded flicking his lighter in his pocket.

The tentacle monster roared, going into a LOVE fueled rampage when the monster dusted and hurling itself at the ring to try and get to the crowd to get more dust.

"The kid'll be thrilled," Jadite said.

Mutt nodded watching the monster struggle to get between the boundaries around it to the spectators. "Someone outta knock the shit outta that thing."

Lexra cracked her knuckles, and her and a couple other fighters entered the ring to beat the monster down and out. They didn't kill it, just dragging it out. "Hopefully it'll remain sane enough to keep fighting," an insectoid monster commented. "A fight against a dust crazed monster is never entertaining once they've lost their head and skill."

"'S true." Mutt nodded.

"And now for the event of the evening! Ty versus Kerberus!" The crowd roared as the three headed wolf monster entered the ring, a raptor monster in stripes entering from the other side.

Well...what do ya know. Really was a kid, part of him had assumed it might have been someone posing, but this boy still had the immature quality to him. Mutt crossed his arms sizing them both up, the kid would win there was no doubt in his mind. Not only was his LV high but he knew that look. Kid had shit to prove.

Kerberus had an advantage at watching his surroundings, but occasionally his heads would bicker. Ty on the other hand was quick, the claws on his feet deadly, and incredibly acrobatic. The magic they tossed at each other was sharp too, Ty using flashes of orange and blue to confuse his opponent and force them into a corner. He was panting heavily when he finally managed to kill the monster, several injuries bleeding dust. The crowd roared in excitement.

Damn, that was actually pretty impressive. Kid was sharp, used blind spots and special awareness to his advantage. Nice, he had a lot of potential. The fighters congratulated the kid, a few measuring him up and calculating how they might take him down before he did the same to them.

“Hey Ty!” Lexra shouted. “Look who’s here!” The smirking kid turned towards them, and froze. Huh, knew him by sight then. Mutt sized up the injuries on the other, more than a few were fine to be left alone, but some were pretty nasty.

Jadite laughed and slapped the kid on the back, not caring that it had to hurt. “Scared speechless, huh?”

Ty shrugged away from the golem and looked at Mutt, scowling fiercely. “You were one of the best, right?”

"You'd have to ask the record books for that." Mutt responded with a shrug, "You gonna stand there dustin all over the place forever?"

The kid moved his tail to pick up a bottle of healing magic, running a Check to make sure it wasn’t tampered with before chugging it down. “I’m going to replace you.”

Mutt chuckled, "You go right on ahead with that kid."

Ty scowled and pulled himself up even further. “I’m going to be great. Just you wait!”

Mutt bent peering at Ty, "Don't stop at me kid. When you set an aspiration is when you choke."

He glowed at the advice his hero gave him. “I won’t!”

Mutt nodded, "You did good, smart use of confusion. You watch the other fights right?"

“Of course!”

“Heh, look at the little brat,” someone muttered.

"And idiots like that are exp." Mutt murmured.

Ty’s face darkened and he nodded. “Right.”

Jadite stepped forward. “Come on, I’ve wrangled am opening for us to fight. You’re a lucky kid, you’ll get to see your hero in action.”

Mutt stood back up turning to follow after Jadite, "See you on the flip side."

“We have an old contender here, come back to test out the skills of our earth shaking golem, Jadite! Will Papyrus show why he was a beast back in the day? Or will the old timer be left as nothing but dust?” The announcer called out.

Mutt snorted, pretentious wording. The rings had always been that way. He went ahead and pulled his hands out of his pockets, might as well be ready.

“No hard feelings,” Jadite joked. He cracked his hands, and sent his magic into the ground, causing sharp spikes to erupt from below.

Mutt shrugged standing next to him in the next second, "None taken. All part of the ring."

The golem growled and threw a punch at him, a surge of stone moving to drop Mutt into a crevice. Mutt dodged the punch sending a splintered bone flying at his opponent he skirted the very edge of the opening. Perhaps not the brightest move, but the extra rush from the possible danger felt wonderful.

The ground crumbled under Mutt’s feet as Jadite caught the bone in his arm. He winced hard. That hurt more than he’d expected from a retired fighter. Welp yeah that wasn't a good idea. He stumbled a bit with the ground movement; only managing to get one foot to a safe area before where he had been did the crash and burn, whoops. Sharp spires of stone rapidly sprouted up to trap him down, the golem roaring as he rushed the skeleton.

One of the spires managed to scrape the gap between radius and ulna near his wrist, fuck. That wasn't gonna be easy to hide. He jerked it free last second slamming a booted foot toward the golem. He grunted in pain but caught Mutt’s foot to drag him towards him. His other foot went for the face, shoving another splinter edged bone floating between the two along it's way.

The golem let go and backed up, but not without catching the bone in his other arm. Angrily he grabbed a chunk from the ground and flung it, magic causing it to swell. Oh that was nifty, and dangerous. A wave of bones sprung from the ground shaking on impact with the projectiles few crumbling but ultimately serving their purpose only a small chunk flying through to hit his already injured arm. Jadite smirked and stomped his foot to send a series of spikes through the ground weaving up and down.

Mutt wasn't as agile as his brother, but he made up for it with the shortcuts, and the ability to take pain if needed. He popped up behind the other threading the injured arm around one of Jadite's his good arm holding a bone weapon.

"Think they're having fun?" He gestured out to the crowd around them.

“Oh yeah. Listen to them,” the golem grunted. He twisted to try and punch Mutt. The arm was already hurt, wrenching it a little wasn't any worse. He let the momentum sling him backward jabbing the weapon into the back of the other monster's knee. He hissed in pain falling to one knee.

Mutt leaned over the other hands on Jadite's shoulders, "Wanna give them a last smile?"

“No,” he growled proudly. He jerked again to try and get away. Mutt shoved down hard as a bone wave sprung up from below. The golem shuddered and dusted. The crowd went nuts. Mutt shook the injured arm, and frowned at the amount of dust on his jacket. Ugh that was gonna take awhile to get out.

“AND THE WINNER IS PAPYRUS!” The announcer shouted. Curses could be heard from people who lost money betting against him.

“Yeah Papyrus!” Ty shouted. The young raptor bounced on his feet.

Mutt nodded to the kid and headed for the exit the warmth of LV spike rolling. He'd had worse ones, but he would probably need to blow off steam before getting to town proper. The echoes of the crowd sounded behind him before being replaced with the sound of rushing water and leading back to the quiet of Waterfall.

He made it to the other side of the sheeted water entrance before porting to the outskirts of Snowdin to wreck some trees. The handful of monsters that had been in the area promptly vanished. No one wanted to get on the wrong side of the captain’s mad attack dog.

Welp, it was probably a good thing anyone around vanished. The last thing he needed in the middle of an LV spike was more rolling in. The whine of a charging blaster would chase off anybody else that hadn't the message. This one happened to be slightly larger, best way to knock off the extra magic.

The blaster fired several more times before he stopped it panting lightly. He stopped the laser, gave the weapon a small pat to the muzzle, and dispelled it before he disappeared once again.

Mutt shoved his boots and jacket off by the door and took to the couch. At least the clothing under the jacket weren't as bad off. He shoved the sleeve of his sweater up inspecting the injuries to his arm. A small amount of dust did fall from the scrapes to the sensitive inner bone. Crap he'd need to treat that.

“Mutt?” Kari leaned out of the kitchen where she was snacking on a weird magic fruit of some kind. It tasted pretty good.

He tensed for a second, but relaxed at the sight of the human. "Yep." He replied sauntering over to one of the stashes of healing supplies.

“Something happen?” Kari asked idly.

"Nothing worth noting." He shrugged taking the little box back to the couch.

“Alright.” Kari ducked back into the kitchen to finish her snack.

He pulled out a canister of thick ointment, it smells fairly nauseating but the minty shimmer was good for the inner spaces like were hit earlier. In the process the zlee e he shoved up rolled back down. He huffed in annoyance with it and decided to strip the whole thing off instead of fighting it the whole time he was working. 

Shirt sleeve out of the way he set about tending to the scrapes.

Kari walked back into the room and sat down. “You’re not wrapping the wounds?”

Mutt glanced to her, "Will when I'm done with this." He tapped the lid of the container opening it to scoop a small glob onto a finger.

“What does that do?”

"Slows the dusting along the edges of the wounds. Helps the healing process." He replied smearing it along one of the scrapes with a shudder.

“Huh.” Kari watched for a while longer.

Mutt finished covering the shedding wounds and grabbed a roll of bandages.

“Need help there?” Kari offered.

He watched her for a few seconds, "If you want, won't stop you."

Kari carefully stepped over and took a roll. “Okay, I’ve never bandaged a skeleton before, so bear with me.” She carefully wound the roll around the cut between his bones, taking care to not brush the insides with her hands as she wrapped it.

"Pretty good for someone who hasn't done it before." He grinned. She was a lot more gentle that he would have been with himself.

“Guess practicing on myself paid off,” Kari joked.

He shrugged, "Guess it did." Kari checked the tightness before securing her roll and moving on to another Mutt poked at one of the spots on his arm where rock debris had hit, tender but not horrid.

“Can bones bruise?” Kari asked curiously.

"Little bit. Lot harder to do than on fleshy beings."

“So there is some bonuses from being all bone.”

"I'd say there were a few." He chuckled.

“Oh yeah?” Kari asked cheerfully as she worked to wrap the next part.

"Makes for more than a few jokes."

“Got a few rib ticklers huh?”

"I'd like to think them humerous."

Kari snickered.

He laughed outright, "So spend a lot of time working bandages up there?"

“Enough.” Kari shrugged. “Falling out of trees happens.” She double checked his bandages and leaned back. “Looks like you’re good to go.”

He nodded, "Whatcha want?"

“Show me the path into Waterfall? Or how to deal with the traps there.”

He blinked, "Sure, simple enough."

“Great!” One step closer to getting out. She smiled up at Mutt and stayed to bask in the quiet companionship. It was nice to be around someone so straight forward.


	8. Waterfall

Kari rocked on her heels impatiently. She'd been here for too long. She was more than ready to see Waterfall.

Mutt grinned, "Impatient? Looks like its thinned enough to see the bad spots."

"I have been here for a couple weeks already." Kari grinned at Mutt. "Don't know how you live with staying in one spot."

"Easier defense knowing your area....safer down here." He shrugged stepping over a trip line.

"You can also be found more easily," Kari countered as she followed him. "And I'm not built to fight, so if I'm found..."

"Sans wasn't exactly built for it either. Lot of it’s learned. You know how to throw a punch?"

"Well enough to help me get away." He snorted, and here he had assumed humans were threatening. Kari looked up, staring at the tops of the trees. "Sans is lucky. He has magic, which means he can actually equal someone bigger than him. Humans? We're all physical. If someone bigger than me comes after me my only hope is to keep my distance."

"There's more to fighting than just being bigger. Gotta be smart about it....should ask him about it sometime." He gently pulled her a few inches over to her right to keep her from stepping on a weak spot, not necessarily a trap.

Kari tilted her head thinking about it. "Maybe."

He watched her face for a moment, "You making mental notes on where things are?"

"Of course," Kari replied. "Pretty automatic."

He nodded, "Good, this place doesn't change too much."

“Sounds dull.” And nerve wracking.

"Little less so with the new addition." He replied patting her head.

Kari grinned. “Glad you’re getting so much out of my company.” She slowed down as they reached the caverns of Waterfall, peering at the occasional stone that hadn’t been pried out to be pawned.

Mutt tilted his head, "Those interest you?"

“They’re pretty.” Kari ran a hand over the cool surface of one.

"They're just bioluminescent. Lots of things in waterfall are."

“Call me silly. I like shiny things.” She startled as a flower echoed back “I like shiny things.”

Mutt laughed tapping the flower gently with a boot for it to repeat again, "Just an echo flower."

“It talked.” Kari poked it again, fascinated at the tiny recording of her voice.

"Nothing up there does I take it?" He tilted his head.

“Nope. I mean, there’s some reeds that whistle when the wind blows through them, but this is entirely new.” She grinned as the flower repeated the end of her sentence.

"How strange." How different was the world up there really? Who knew other than her? Nobody here ever spoke of it, but people here never spoke of much fantasy business at all.

Kari laughed. “Guess so!” He grinned at her, he hadn't seen anybody excited over the flowers since Sans had still been in stripes. “What allows them to talk? Do they last if picked?”

"It’s magic, and I've never tried?" Huh, now he was curious too.

“Well then, let’s see.” She bent over a flower, thought for a moment and talked. “Hello Sans!” She plucked the flower, and then carefully tapped it. A very quiet version of her greeting came out. Kari laughed in delight.

Mutt watched her mind racing down different avenues. It was quieter when picked, would that mean eventually it would fade? Or just that the supply of magic was smaller and thus the sound weaker? How long would it stay as it was now, forever, a short while?

“Looks like we’re taking this souvenir home.” Kari very carefully tucked it into her hair.

"Thinking about our place as home are you?" Mutt hummed.

Kari almost tripped before straightening up. “Figure of speech.”

He grinned ruffling her hair, "Sure thing Teeny."

Kari looked away uncomfortably. She didn’t have a home. Didn’t want one. That would mean being found. She hurried further down the cavern to escape the thought.

Huh, well shit that had really upset her hadn't it? There was a story there. He popped further up to watch and make sure she didn't get into trouble.

Waterfall was pretty interesting. The traps were different from Snowdin, playing more with light and dark and making the already slippery areas and streams of water more deadly. She would have to spend more time examining them when she wasn't bent on going as fast as she could past the area. She idly noted a couple places that could be homes, before reaching a cluster of houses, each one heavily defended and apart from the others.

Mutt hung back allowing her to explore as she wanted. Silently wondering how she would handle anybody coming at her.

Kari paused at what looked like a poltergeist wrecking someone's house. As soon as the ghost realized someone was watching Kari skittered off. Monsters she could do. Dead things? Not a chance in hell.

Mutt popped up right beside her, "Boo." Kari startled, racing halfway through the area and triggering a trap that she dodged with sheer speed.

Mutt blinked, well shit. He followed her popping ahead a few times to keep track of her twists, "What spooked ya so bad?"

“Ghost!” Kari looked around, finally slowing when she realized she wasn’t being followed by someone other than Mutt.

"Well...yeah? You got a problem with ghosts in particular?"

“I don’t like the dead walking around.” Kari shivered.

Mutt raised a brow, "Dust doesn't walk, just kinda floats a bit until it settles."

“Really? Could have sworn I just saw a dead person wrecking vengeance on a house.”

"Oh him? No he's very much alive. Complaints about his misadventures float around decently often, not sure about his name though."

Kari stared flatly at him. “The ghost. Dead spirit walking. Is alive.”

"Humans think ghosts are dead?"

“Yes? I mean, you do know that skeletons are what’s left of a human after all they die and their flesh is torn away, right? And we have a lot of superstitions about magic and beings that come from it. Like how ghosts are born of a painful death, either tragic or angry, and how they’ll harm humans they encounter.”

"I mean...there is a theory that humans have a skeletal system. But I assure you that ghosts aren't dead humans. They have their own souls and everything." Mutt replied, holy shit humans had some wild ideas.

“I can confirm that theory is correct! Humans have skeletons!” Kari paused. “I wonder if you got it from us? I know pretty much every animal on the Surface has skeletons, so I doubt it’s the other way around.”

"I doubt the two are related at all. Humans are made of physical matter. Monsters are just magic that houses our souls."

“Yes, but you do look like a skeleton instead of...I don’t know. One of those jelly monsters.”

He shrugged, "I can...kinda change that? Not really..."

Kari slowed and took a really long measuring look at Mutt. “If you’re telling me you can shapeshift...”

"No, just fill in some of the gaps." He shrugged condensing magic around his middle and plucking at the bottom of his sweater.

Kari reached out and poked him. “Huh. Not air.”

"Nope, just magic," He shrugged dropping the magic again so it was a gap, "or not."

Kari laughed. “Just when I start thinking I’ve got the hang of things.”

"Wise ones never think they do."

“Very wise.”

"For sure not my words." He chuckled.

Kari grinned and looked around. She had no idea where she was. Well. She could always find a new place to hole up while she kept working her way to the border.

Mutt tilted his head, "Lookin for something in particular?"

"Just realized I have no clue where I am," Kari said. She was perfectly relaxed, just as tense as she was in the house with him and Sans.

"This is Waterfall, keep going to the other side you hit Hotland, and on from there is the capital...and then you're pretty much at the end." He shrugged.

"Huh. That's a convenient layout."

He blinked, "Convenient?"

"Yup. It's in a perfectly straight line. Don't gotta try and keep from wandering off into a district in the wrong direction."

"It's really not that big down here." Kari bit her lip. Life was not easy. It had never pretended to be. But it bothered her to know the monsters were trapped.

She hated cages.

"Wanna head back, or are you stickin around?" He asked following along beside her at a leisurely pace.

"Go back?" Kari questioned.

"You know I can just pop you right back here tomorrow? You can come back with me and sleep and then back out exploring again tomorrow."

"Well. I do have that flower for the captain." Kari touched it gingerly, listening to it speak again.

Mutt snickered, "A most gracious gift." How would his brother react to a pretty girl with a flower?

"Let's go back then." Kari grinned at him.

"Your orders then." He held out a hand fully willing to allow her the choice of if they walked or he carried her through a shortcut.

Kari hesitated before taking his hand. Mutt's explanation did not settle her fears at seeing a ghost, and she did not want to run into it again.

"Shortcut? Or would you prefer to walk?" Kari shrugged, and tugged on her hair. "Do you often tug like that?"

"What?" Kari fiddled with her hair more.

"Your hair, do you pull like that often?"

"Uh, no, I guess not." Why did he notice? She tugged on it again.

He reached out with his free hand tugging on the same lock she held, "Gonna make your scalp sore."

"So you're gonna tug on it instead?" she joked.

"That an open invitation?" He grinned back, rubbing his finger carefully along the strands; mindful not to slip and cut them with the sharp filed points.

Kari laughed. "Guess so."

His grain only widened a fraction before he plucked her easily from the ground popping them through the void back home. Mutt promptly dropped the both of them onto the couch in a heap and twirled a small swath of her hair through his fingers. Kari laughed, almost breathless as she leaned back into him. Mutt stayed still carefully sifting the strands around.

"Humans are soft for something so deadly." He murmured watching how the pieces fell.

"Humans are a wonderful bundle of contradictions. Soft to the point of being unable to harm even an insect. Sadistic enough to torture someone for hours. Campaigning to save those who are in danger, whether it's a people suffering famine or a species of animal struggling to survive. Trying to wipe out other humans for being different. It's...frustrating, but wonderful how different we can be." Kari smiled at Mutt. "It means there's always something new to discover."

"Probably the most frightening, and intriguing aspect." He murmured back carefully nuzzling against her hair.

"Agreed." Kari was a little amused at the nuzzling, but it felt nice and she knew Mutt wouldn't hurt her, so she stayed still. Mutt simply tugged them both into a comfortable lounging position. At least this particular human wasn't as bad as the stories.


	9. Fine Dining

Sans entered the room and paused, taking in the pair curled on the couch. "MUTT. PET."

Kari grinned. "Hey there Sans. Got a gift for ya." She pulled the flower out of her hair and walked over to give it to him. Sans stared at the flower, then at Kari, then at the flower again. A faint purple flush hit his cheekbones.

"WHAT IS THAT?"

"It's an echo flower. Watch." She tapped it, and the tiny "Hi Sans" greeting played out.

"I KNOW THAT! I MEANT WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH IT?"

"Giving it to you," Kari teased. Mutt watched the two a small grin on his face, oh look she had managed to flush him.

"WHY?"

"You don't like it?" Kari pouted.

"WHA-IT'S A FLOWER! IT'S FRIVOLOUS AND SILLY!"

"I know!"

"WHY WOULD I WANT SOMETHING LIKE THAT?"

"Because it's fun?"

Sans huffed and crossed his arms. Kari waved the flower in front of his face. "Come on. You know you want it."

He grabbed it sharply. "FINE, I'LL TAKE IT! BUT ONLY SO YOU'LL LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Kari laughed. "Alright."

"I MEAN IT!" Mutt bit back a laugh of his own hiding his wide grin in Kari's hair. Sans shot Mutt a scolding look. His brother had something to do with it, he knew it! 

"HMPH." He stalked over to the couch. "NAPSTATON HAS A NEW SHOW PREMIERING."

"Fun," Kari chirped.

Mutt curled his legs up so the other had room to sit, "Naps was a ghost...before his shows started. Or that's the rumor."

Kari shivered. Sans smirked. "HE'S VERY SEXY."

Mutt rolled his eyes, "Two perfectly normal fairly attractive bodies in the same room and he gushes about the bot."

Sans flushed. "I-I-HE'S VERY POPULAR!"

"Yeah yeah, loud too. Sounds kinda familiar on paper."

"MUTT!"

"Yes?" He looked at the other with an air of innocence long since devastated. Kari snickered.

"MUTT! YOU'RE DOING THIS ON PURPOSE!"

"Is there another way to do it?" Kari asked innocently. 

Sans screeched.

Mutt chuckled, "Settle down M'lord, watch your station showing."

Sans grumbled, shooting another dirty look at Mutt. He knew taking in the human was a bad idea. Yes Mutt was happy, but he'd infected the human with his stupidity! Kari just laughed.

Mutt tilted his head to peer at the other, "Would you prefer to hold her?"

He could do that, couldn't he? And Mutt was right there if the human tried anything. "YES."

"Wait, what?"

Mutt simply shrugged, easily shifting to hand her over to the other skeleton. Kari stiffened as Sans hummed, pulling her close. She was really nice and warm. And soft. It was almost nice.

She shot Mutt a puzzled look. Mutt just grinned back at her with a wink. Sans watched his show as he snuggled into Kari like she was a giant teddy bear, the girl doing her best to not giggle at the tough captain cuddling her. Mutt shrugged and switched positions so he was draped around the both of them.

"MUTT," Sans grumbled. "I'M NOT CUDDLY."

"Nope, just snuggly." The other replied burying his face in his brothers shoulder. Sans sighed and turned back to the show to watch Napstaton dust a monster in the background of his new song. Mutt purred happily half watching half dozing.

Kari felt a bit like she was in the twilight zone. She was cuddling with two skeletons watching a music concert with heavy death themes on a couch in a domestic manner. Really. Maybe the Addams family was a better comparison. How funny that she was fine.

Eventually Mutt slunk off to the kitchen to begin a meal prep. Chicken was a decent idea right? He ran through different recipes as he made his way across the room.

Sans tensed slightly as Mutt crossed to the kitchen, leaving him alone with the human he was touching. Kari felt the increased tension and immediately pulled away to put distance between them. Sans scowled. He hadn't wanted that.

Mutt peeked around the corner, "You both ok with..." he paused looking between the two. "Something goin on?"

"No?" Sans' scowl deepened. Mutt raised a brow at the other skeleton. Sans straightened up and pulled Kari closer to him, causing the human to stiffen in fear. He scowled more. She should be relaxed like she was earlier!

"Can we not fight on the couch? That wouldn't be an easy fix. Chicken work?"

"CHICKEN'S FINE."

Mutt nodded, "Play nice kiddos." He leaned back out of sight beginning the cooking prep process. He decided every so often he'd check in on them, surely they wouldn't get into too much trouble with each other...no matter how many similarities they seemed to share.

Kari stayed on Sans' lap, the small skeleton fussing and trying to get her to not be tense while still being tense himself. She mouthed 'help me' at Mutt. Mutt snickered and moved over to them draping a blanket from the back of the couch over the two of them bending to tuck it around them he leaned close to her, "Just relax some."

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I’M NOT SOME TAME PET TO WRAP UP,” Sans complained even as he snuggled down. He cheered up as he finally felt some of the tension in his human pet ease.

Mutt raised a brow, "Of course not, just making sure of your comfort." He pressed a kiss to the top of his brother's skull and beat a hasty retreat back to finish up cooking dinner. Sans threw a bone at his brother’s head barely missing. He grumbled at Kari’s chuckles.

Mutt stuck out his tongue at the other as he returned a short span of time later balancing a set of plates. Sans accepted his dinner moodily and dug in as Kari ate more slowly. She paused. 

“You know, I just realized I never questioned how you ate without stomachs.”

Sans scoffed. “WE ABSORB THE MAGIC OF COURSE.”

"Yep, take it that's not how humans work?"

“Tends to be a little more complex than that,” Kari agreed. “We gotta break down our food in our stomach to separate it into the nutrients our body needs to function.”

“REALLY?” Sans asked in fascination.

“Yup!”

"Odd creatures." Mutt mumbled picking at his own food.

“INDEED.”

“I’m pretty sure we’re not the strangest.”

"Didn't say that." There were all manners of things out there. It was possible there was much odder things than humans.

Sans poked his brother with his foot. “SHUSH YOU. STOP MAKING TROUBLE.”

Mutt blinked at the other and stilled, the only movement coming from the shifting of the couch cushions. Kari looked between the pair. Sans went back to eating, half his attention on Mutt in case this was some kind of trick.

Mutt just continued to sit unmoving.

“...I don’t think he meant stop breathing,” Kari muttered.

“WHAT?” Sans looked up over at Mutt and scoffed. “IDIOT.”

“No, really, I don’t think he’s breathing.”

Mutt had to work very hard not to twitch and laugh at the pair.

“I NOTICED.”

“Doesn’t he need to?” Kari reached over and poked at Mutt.

“WHY WOULD HE NEED THAT?”

“To live?”

Mutt lost it and chuckled poking Kari back.

Sans grinned widely. “SEE? FINE!”

Kari startled backwards and laughed. “Whoa!”

"But really Teeny...no lungs?"

Kari paused and blushed. “Right.”

"Inhaling does help pull in magic from your surroundings though." Mutt responded running a finger over her flushed cheek, it was warmer...how interesting.

Something sour settled in Sans as he watched Mutt and Kari. That was his brother. His! He quickly shoved Kari to the floor, the human startling and retreating as Sans took her place wrapped around Mutt. Mutt blinked a bit shell shocked at the sudden movement. He glanced between the two bending to speak softly to his brother.

"Was that really necessary M'lord?

"YOU'RE MINE." He clacked his teeth against Mutt's skull possessively. Kari blinked up from the floor, before silently slipping away.

Mutt curled around the other, "Nobody is questioning that." He soothed.

"GOOD." Sans nuzzled his brother. He looked over at where the human had slipped off. "SHE WAS TOUCHING YOU. A LOT."

"We're friendly. You touched her an awful lot. Should I be worried?" Mutt questioned pausing just short of nuzzling at the other skeleton.

Sans hummed in thought before sighing. "NO. I JUST...WANTED TO BE TOUCHING YOU AND HER."

Mutt hummed, "You're always welcome to touch me. Might have made her fairly skittish with that move."

Sans growled. "SHE RUNS A LOT." He didn't know how to be soft with her.

"I don't think she's had anyone not to run from before. At least she doesn't act it."

Sans thought this over as he continued to curl into Mutt and occasionally nip at him. "SHE HAD NO ONE?" That wasn't completely unthinkable, but...everyone had someone at least until they were old enough to survive on their own.

Mutt purred nuzzling his brother, "Hasn't said much about it, but she doesn't respond well to touch...or pretty words. She jumped out the window the other day."

"SHE DID WHAT."

"I might have implied she was pretty. She jumped out the window instead of talking more."

Sans blinked and scowled. "HOW RUDE. SHE SHOULD BE HONORED YOU PAID ATTENTION TO HER."

"Pretty sure it scared her."

Sans considered that. "...I DON'T KNOW HOW TO NOT SCARE HER."

"What would you like for someone to do for you? It seems you two have quite a few things in common."

"I'M NOT SUBMITTING," Sans quickly denied.

"I didn't say to. Just...play it careful. Be a little softer with her, yeah? Not the whole enemy lines routine."

"I WILL...TRY," Sans gritted out. He nuzzled Mutt again.

Mutt grinned clacking his teeth to San's cheek, "That's the spirit."

Sans grumbled a little more but finally settled and stopped pressing his magic on Mutt.

Mutt rolled his eyes, but pulled the other closer using him as a chin rest, "You know you come first."

“I DO.” Which had made the sourness he felt at seeing Kari and Mutt together odd. He’d never reacted like that before.

"That ain't changing just cause another pretty face shows up."

"I KNOW." Sans looked up at Papyrus. "YOU STAYED WHEN YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO. YOU WON'T LEAVE NOW."

"Or ever." He assured nuzzling the other again.

Sans sighed contentedly. "RIGHT."

"Bed?" he questioned not shifting the other, "I can finish the dishes after we get you settled."

"I'M NOT A CHILD TO BE PUT TO BED," Sans sniffed. "AND YOU'LL COME UP TO READ THE NEXT CHAPTER WITH ME?"

"Not a child, just loved." Mutt responded poking the other along his nasal ridge and popping them back up to Sans' bedroom. Sans nodded, and let Mutt leave to tidy up. Mutt would always stay with him. And one day he’d convince Kari to do the same.


	10. Consequences

Where was Mutt going? He had changed his routine. Mutt was always there when Sans expected him to be, but Mutt wasn't hitting his usual haunts, and had changed the path he'd taken. Concerned his brother had gotten into something he was trying to fix before Sans found out, he stalked after his brother silently into Waterfall. The one monster that had tried to ambush him had easily been dusted before he peered down.

Mutt knew that being watched feeling, he wasn't new to it. He was slightly on edge knowing where he was going and having that particular feeling chasing him down the pathways heading for the entrance to the fight ring chamber. Usually it meant people were sizing you before you even got inside, and the idea that it was going on for him for the second time in his life could be problematic, Sans still wasn't aware he was involved at all...unless he had somehow figured things out. But he would've had words about that if he had right? 

He ducked through the waterfall covering the entranceway and shook off any drops clinging to the outside of his jacket. 

Mutt was gone. Had he taken a shortcut? Sans stepped out and looked around, warily scanning his surroundings for where his brother could have possibly gotten to.

A rather excitable, and frankly oddly shaped, fish monster with a large underbite ducked through the flow of water, dashing away with a look of panic in Sans' direction. Sans immediately started after the monster, summoning bones and chucking them at it to try and keep it from escaping. The poor thing yelped a fin like webbed hand becoming pinned between the attack and the cave wall just out of reach of the water.

Sans stalked towards the monster analyzing it sharply. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"J-j-jussss out for a w-walk Captain Sir." shit could he hear anything coming from down the tunnel? The monster glanced down the way out of nerves not thinking about the possibility of leading him straight to the rings.

"HM. I DON'T THINK SO." Sans summoned a bone threateningly, purposely shifting it blue to make it painful to remove. He followed the monster's gaze. "WHAT'S DOWN THERE?"

"I can't...I'm dust if anyone finds out!" The stupid thing whined pitifully squirming only to further injure its trapped appendage.

Sans slammed the bone into its chest. "YOU SURE YOU'RE NOT GONNA TALK?"

The fish thing choked on a gasp of pain whimpering, "Ring! It's the fight ring. I just watch I swear! Never even placed a bet, not even on your dog I promise!"

"MY DOG?"

The fish paled. Oh no, he hadn't known?

Sans cut the fish open and watched it dust before snorting and heading down to where the monster had stared at. He poked past the waterfall, and growled as he heard the noises from further in. "A FIGHT RING." He had nothing against fight rings. He had a lot against his brother risking himself. Sans summoned his hammer and headed down further.

Mutt leaned against a wall opposite the entrance watching the different monsters who trickled in, if someone was watching him he should keep an eye to figure out who it was.

Sans spotted his brother. "MUTT!"

Mutt snapped to attention, inwardly panicked at the appearance of his sibling. Oh Stars that's who had been following him wasn't it? He took a few steps coming directly to heel, "M'lord."

Sans hit him with the hammer. It wasn't that hard, considering the intent was to express how terrified and furious he was at finding Mutt there, but it still had to be painful.

Mutt hissed out a breath stumbling slightly with the blow. "My apologies." He chanced a quick glance around to be sure it hadn't set off some sort of riot mentality.

Sans looked around them, ready and willing to murder anyone that approached the pair. A few watched the brothers in amusement, and Sans weighed whether or not he thought it'd be worth it to kill some of them.

"Not here." Mutt murmured, "Most of them aren't worth it."

Sans bristled and summoned a wave of bones to send spiralling out from around them. Most of the monsters got out of the way, a few being injured. He grabbed Mutt harshly and hit him again. "WHAT WAS THAT? DID YOU TRY TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO?"

He moved with the blow fluidly "No, just informing M'lord. Few have worth outside set competitors."

"THEN I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT," Sans hissed, "THAT YOU WOULDN'T HAVE SULLIED YOURSELF BEING HERE." He dragged Mutt out of the cave, magic still crackling with anger.

Mutt stumbled following after in a hunched position from being drug along, "Said most...got a few worth it."

"ENOUGH FOR ME TO TURN AROUND AND DEAL WITH THEM?" Sans asked sarcastically.

"Maybe a couple, though one of those I'd actually feel bad about." Mutt shrugged, "Cute kid, has a lot of spunk."

"I DON'T DUST KIDS," Sans sniffed. Not if he could avoid it at least. He stopped to pull out Mutt's leash and clip it onto his collar before continuing to march back to their home.

"Didn't mean to imply you would. Wonder how far he is from being out though...he's getting pretty high up."

"HM."

He didn't elaborate further than that. That risked the other finding out he had done this with bets years earlier as part of keeping them afloat. He wasn't going to touch that.

Reaching the house Sans kicked Mutt inside before carefully securing the door shut. He checked the house was secure before turning to scowl at his brother. "TRY AND EXPLAIN TO ME WHY I SHOULDN'T LEAVE YOU BEGGING TO BE DUSTED."

Well honesty best policy and all. "I can't. I knew you would worry." He settled on his knees huddled down. Sans screeched in rage and beat on the other skeleton. Mutt shuddered under the onslaught.  
He could feel his claws scraping over his brother's bones and the force that he struck Mutt with, but he was so mad. He just had to hit him, again and again, feeling how solid he was and working out his anger and fear.

Mutt grit his teeth at the continued attacks, the intent behind them was clear, and the stinging left was...quite frankly a lot. A low rumble not quite a purr spilled forth.

Sans paused at the noise. "PAPYRUS?"

He blinked, the noise cutting off, oh shit...that was...something. "M'lord?" Well, no getting around that.

Sans tried to figure out what to say. He dug his claws into his own arm as he thought. Mutt curled one finger under the hand Sans had hold of his own arm with. He could easily end up hurting himself.

Sans huffed but accepted digging into Mutt instead. "YOU RISKED YOURSELF. POINTLESSLY."

"Wasn't enough risk that I'd worry, or I wouldn't go." Mutt responded eyeing where Sans' claws dug into his own bones.

Sans' grip spasmed tighter before loosening. "YOU ARE AN IDIOT. YOU KNOW YOU'RE A TERRIBLE JUDGE OF SUCH THINGS. AND WHAT WAS THERE TO GAIN? EXP? I DIDN'T THINK YOU NEEDED TO BUILD YOUR LOVE MUTT."

"Didn't need to gain anything. Fills time, brings a rush...Do that again?"

Sans growled, pulling back from his brother. He wanted Sans to hurt him? Fine, he could deal with that. He could hand out any punishment Mutt felt he deserved. But he would listen first. “YOU ARE MINE. YOU DO NOT RISK YOURSELF THAT WAY WITHOUT MY PERMISSION! IF YOU NEEDED SOMETHING I WOULD HAVE PROVIDED!”

"Wasn't needed," he frowned, "Just interesting."

“YOU HAVE THE HUMAN. UNLESS YOU’RE BORED OF HER?”

"No... that's different. She's different." He shrugged. Kari was more like a mental puzzle, intricate. The rings were purely a physical rush, only a few passing thoughts on stats and strategies and he could just get lost in moving.

“THEN WHAT? MORE SPARRING? I CAN DRAG YOU OUT WHEN I TRAIN AND BEAT YOU DOWN.”

Mutt debated it, "You wouldn't really hurt...but maybe. Couldn't hurt."

“WHAT? YOU WANT PAIN?”

"I meant you weren't innately dangerous to me." Mutt shrugged, "But...I wouldn't tell you no."

Sans stared at his brother, thinking. “YOU LIKE BEING HURT.”

"From the right sources."

Sans’ hand twitched. He was tempted to strike Mutt again just because he could. He knew he had a sadistic streak. It was just one he controlled well. “SO EVERY TIME I PUNISHED YOU FOR DISOBEYING...”

"Message gets across mentally." He admitted with a small shrug.

Sans slapped his own face. “GREAT.” It was assuring to hear the punishments weren’t useless, but still annoying to hear. “YOU’RE LUCKY I DON’T HAVE THE PATIENCE FOR COMING UP WITH NEW TRAINING METHODS.” Sans paused and brightened up. “IT DOES MEAN I CAN HIT YOU WHEN YOU DO WELL.”

Mutt blinked peering at the other, "You don't have to indulge me."

“WHO SAID IT WAS FOR YOU?”

Mutt tilted his head, "That happy with my misadventures then?"

Sans smacked Mutt hard across the face. “NO! YOU ALMOST LEFT ME! AND YOU SWORE YOU WOULDN’T!”

"I wouldn't have gone into that ring if I didn't already know I'd make it out."

“No. You Would.” Sans shook his head. “You Don’t Think Unless You Think I’ll Get Hurt. You Stand Close To Death, Like It’s Nothing.”

Mutt sighed, "I- you're right." He let his head fall to his brother's shoulder, "You're always right."

Sans patted Mutt slowly. That had been a hard scare. He hadn’t known that Mutt needed more than he’d been given. He hoped training would help with that. “IN THE MEANTIME. YOU’RE LEASHED TO ME FOR THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS! YOU SLEEP ON MY FLOOR, SIT AT MY FEET, AND ACT AS MY SHADOW UNTIL I SAY OTHERWISE. GOT IT?” Mutt nodded against the shoulder by his face. He could live without the temptation of the rings, he'd done it for years. Sans petted Mutt.

Behind them the door sounded with a knock. Sans tensed at the intrusion.

"Probably just Teeny...oughta make a key." Mutt murmured quietly.

“RIGHT.” She’d been around for a few weeks now. She shouldn’t still surprise him. Sans walked over and opened the door.

“Hey captain,” Kari greeted cheerfully. She stepped inside, and her veins chilled. Mutt was covered in gashes, as if he’d been beaten badly. Mutt watched her carefully when her expression morphed. He grinned at her with a little wave, pained but not hurt. Hopefully she could tell the difference.

“...something happen today?” Kari asked cautiously.

“ROCKS FOR BRAINS OVER THERE DECIDED TO BE CLEVER AND JUMP IN THE FIGHT RINGS FOR FUN,” Sans said dryly.

“I see.”

Mutt just peered up at the both of them, waiting to see what her overall reaction would be. She didn't seem as angry as his brother, but she didn't have a reason to be either.

Sans grinned. “DON’T WORRY. I’M KEEPING THIS MANGY MUTT NEXT TO ME UNTIL HE GETS OVER HIS IDIOCY.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Kari said cheerfully. “Need help bandaging him up?”

“WHY WOULD I DO THAT?”

Kari paused. “Um, so it stops hurting?”

“HE WOULDN’T LEARN FROM HAVING HIS PUNISHMENT HEALED.” Was she reading too deeply into things? Or was Sans suggesting he was why Mutt looked so rough?

Mutt shrugged, "Not bad enough it really needs it." Honestly the only thing he would really need wrapped was fractures or breaks.

Well, Mutt wasn’t upset. She tugged lightly on her hair. “Right. I’ll...go get food.” She inched around to the kitchen. Sans watched her in puzzlement. 

“YOU WOULD THINK SHE’D NEVER SEEN...” Right. She didn’t have a person she’d ever been safe around. She probably saw this as another threat. He shook his head. “MUTT, CALM THE HUMAN. AS SOON AS YOU’RE DONE WITH HER RETURN TO MY SIDE. NO DETOURS.”

Mutt nodded popping off into the kitchen.

Mutt appeared slouched lazily sitting on one of the countertops, "You doing alright there?"

Kari startled slightly, whirling around with a fork pointed at him. “Oh. Just you.” The tension eased. “Guess I was just...a little surprised. Um, how did you get hurt?”

Mutt tilted his head raising a brow line at the fork, "Kinda a long story with me and Sans about that. I tend to do stupid things, he tends to keep me in check. We agreed to it a long time ago. Round about the time I got my nonexistent ass handed to me and he just...took up everything I couldn't anymore."

“What do you mean?” That sounded a lot more complicated than her first impression had created.

Mutt tapped at the large scar and the fake tooth, "Wasn't born with this. Got jumped, nearly took me out. Sans was right about out of stripes. He went after the group turns out it was guard... not sure if any of them are around anymore. But I was never the level of responsible he is. And this...it didn't make any of that better. Sans is reasonable when I'm not. Sometimes you just gotta kick the shit outta me to get through my thick skull."

“That sounds...pretty harsh.” But it was a harsh world. Mutt was lucky to have Sans there for him. She hummed tilting her head. “You think he cares?”

"Probably not the same as I do." Mutt shrugged, "But he does. He wouldn't bother if he didn't. Sans doesn't waste time with trivial dislikes."

That sounded addicting. Having someone who cared, even if it was just to use her. And it seemed that Sans mostly used Mutt to back himself up and have someone to talk to.

"Not like I don't benefit either," Mutt chuckled pressing a finger to one of the gashes the smaller had left on him sending a little spark through himself, "everything in turn."

“Masochist?” Kari joked.

"Wanna find out?" He grinned leaning towards her.

“Maybe.” She winked.

"That's more a yes or no question Teeny."

“Then consider it a yes.”

Mutt blinked at her grin widening, "Well look at you getting all bold on me."

Kari flashed another grin at him. “Seems so.”

He was going to get himself in so much trouble. How far was she willing to go? 

"Open invitation then Teeny."

Kari laughed and pushed her hair back. “I’ll just have to take you up on that.”

Mutt nodded, cool he could work with this. "Really should be calling you the Mistress I guess."

“You think so?” That certainly wasn’t a title she’d pick for herself. She wouldn’t pick any title for herself, really.

"I think...you're stalling yourself." He replied with a hum.

Kari laughed. “Yup.”

He laughed back, "Feeling better about things?"

Kari tilted her head. “Yeah, I guess so. I mean, I certainly hope Sans doesn’t touch me like that, but it’s good you’re fine.”

"I don't think he intends to...you still make him nervous." He shrugged. "Anyway...earned myself a prison sentence. Be seeing ya round bout the other side."

“Wait, I make him nervous?” Kari grinned. Who knew about that? “Have fun with that.”

"Sans isn't used to anyone in his space but me. Then suddenly there's a pretty girl who's supposed to be dangerous...but turned out pretty neat." He shrugged giving her a wave and backing out the doorway to return to his brother.

Well, that was an interesting way to think of things. Kari nibbled thoughtfully on the snack she’d pulled out. She should spend more time with Sans.


	11. Discipline

Sans strolled into Muffet's and took a seat, ordering a hot chocolate. He shot an expectant look at Mutt to sit at his feet, and not his usual spot. Mutt curled down to the floor poking at one of the small spiders using the top of a baseboard as a pathway.

Muffet gave the skeleton on the floor a distasteful look, "Do try not to distract them too much Pappy dear."

"DID YOU KNOW HE'S AN IDIOT?" Sans asked conversationally as he took out some gold to pay for his drink.

Muffet smiled at the smaller skeleton a respectful nod, "I very much doubt anybody who has known him for too awfully long is unaware he has his lapses."

Sans nodded. "THE IDIOT THOUGHT HE COULD DO CERTAIN THINGS WITHOUT MY PERMISSION. AS IF HE DOESN'T BELONG TO ME!" Sans casually kicked at Mutt's shoulder lightly.

Mutt swayed with the action and Muffet rolled a single set of eyes, "I have told him, you have told him, and I'm sure somewhere in there he has told himself he'll get into trouble with his rash decisions." 

She leaned back snagging the mug containing his drink from a small serving window handing it over. She sent another scathing look in the older brother's direction, "You would think he'd remember how rash those decisions truly are."

"HE'S LUCKY HE'S SO USEFUL," Sans sniffed. He accepted the drink and happily sipped from it. "GOOD AS ALWAYS."

Behind him he listened as a bear entered. "Blasted guards," the bear grumbled. "Gonna have to move the ring again."

"What? They conducted a raid?"

"I heard the-" the bear glanced over to Sans, who was pretending to not be listening. "Heard the captain himself lead it." Mutt glanced in the direction of the gossiping idiots, but said nothing. He picked at a loose thread in his sweater wondering if Sans would track them down once they were all outside. 

Muffet smiled, "Of course, I have enough standards not to threaten a friend even with so small of a thing as subpar services."

"I heard he was part of the fight ring, and was thinking of selling his mutt to it."

"What? He's kept him for years! You think he finally grew tired of dealing with the mangy mutt?"

Sans' hand slowly tightened on the cup.

"They did say that the raid at the fight ring went wrong cause the idiot disobeyed. Maybe the captain got tired of dealing with it."

Mutt leaned against his brother's leg, best not to add broken dishes to the list of Muffet's displeasures.

Sans relaxed a little and looked at Muffet with a smile. “YOU ARE ALWAYS EXACT.”

“Either way the ring has to move again,” someone grumbled.

“What a nuisance!”

Mutt snorted at that one, it really wasn't all that hard to set things up. Word of mouth traveled fast. The hardest part was the actual magic of the ring and even that wasn't to incredibly difficult. 

Muffet waved sweetly and moved along to tend to other customers.

Sans looked at Mutt warningly. He wasn't forgetting why the ring was being moved. Mutt had the grace to avert his eyes to the floor again. Sans turned back to his drink as the gossip continued, talking about who might be left behind in the move as not worth investing, who they might make bets on, and why the captain would suddenly take an interest.

He calmly finished his drink and turned around to look at the gossiping trio. They all immediately tried to flatten themselves down. He grinned cordially. "DON'T WORRY. I WON'T UPSET MISS MUFFET BY STARTING ANYTHING HERE."

The monsters started to sweat. Mutt watched carefully, hopefully they weren't as dumb as they appeared. Sans continued to smile and watch them. One of them broke, racing for the door.

"MUTT, FETCH."

Mutt nodded taking off after the running monster allowing him to get a few feet outside the door before he reached around locking an arm around the fleeing fodder's neck, "Angel be with you." He muttered pausing by the door. Waiting with the present like a good dog.

Sans stepped out of the restaurant and grinned at the monster. "GOOD BOY." He reached over and effortlessly snapped the monster's neck, beheading it. "DARING TO BESMIRCH WHAT'S MINE," he growled.

Mutt waved the most of dust from the death away from his face with a displeased face. He did not want gritty sockets thank you very much.

"NOW TO WAIT FOR THE OTHER TWO TO COME OUT." Sans grinned cheerfully as he settled against his brother.

Mutt towered over the shorter looming as he acted as a leaning post. The monsters knew they couldn't stay inside forever. But they could try and wait it out. Sans just hummed, patiently petting Mutt and enjoying himself.

"Muff's gonna be pissed if she has to throw them out." He muttered with a grin sliding across his face.

"THAT WILL MAKE IT EVEN EASIER." Sans toyed with the idea of making an example of one of them. But he didn't really want them to be too scared to talk around him. That could make things more difficult.

Mutt crouched so he could nuzzle fondly at his brothers shoulder keeping tabs on how the ones still in the establishment watched. Sans snorted as the one decided to throw their companion to them and try to rush off. Sans easily summoned bones to pin the one ditched down, leaving the second for Mutt.

Mutt was gone in a flash popping up right in the runners face hands in his pockets, "Not very nice to ditch a partner."

"Not everyone's an idiot dog," the bear snarled.

Mutt tilted his head with a wicked smirk, "Woof." He promptly swept the gossipers feet out from under him sending him sprawling into a trap. Not lethal, but painful.

The bear screamed as the trap fastened around his limbs and began to pull. With the threat of running taken care of Mutt merely looked over to Sans checking his position.

Sans nodded at Mutt in satisfaction before pulling out his hammer to crush the one beneath him. He strolled over to Mutt. "HE'S A DECENT PET. HE'D BE A WASTE IN THE RINGS." He looked pointedly at Mutt before swinging his hammer down to finish crushing the last monster.

Mutt snorted, "Could have just showed off at the new location if that was your point."

"YOU AREN'T GOING ANYWHERE NEAR THERE." Sans grabbed Mutt and forced him down, kicking him hard. Mutt whined scrabbling to right himself before he ended up with snow in eyes.

"MANGY CUR," Sans grumbled. Mutt nodded along getting enough balance to sit on his knees. A couple monsters watched, but most accepted the abuse as simply something that Mutt took as part of being the vicious captain's pet. Mutt glanced about and shuffled a bit closer folding himself smaller.

Sans looked away disinterestedly and walked off to go check his traps. Mutt sighed but followed after him slouching a little lower than normal.

“YOU’RE LUCKY IT WOULD TAKE TOO MUCH EFFORT TO TRAIN UP A REPLACEMENT,” Sans snarked

"Yes M'lord." He echoed back hands shoved into his pockets scanning the area around them.

Sans grumbled a bit more about unappreciative mutts that tended to wander off before stopping at a trap to check it over. Mutt turned automatically covering the shorter skeleton's back.

Sans hummed. “THE FLOWER’S STILL ALIVE.”

Mutt blinked, was it...that was interesting. "Still echo?"

"YES." Sans stepped away from the trap and walked on. "WHAT A SILLY WASTE."

"In what way?" Mutt asked following along.

"WELL." Sans didn't exactly have an answer for that. He just was really flustered that Kari gave him a flower. "YOU KNOW!"

"Nope, I really don't." This was actually a pretty good experiment.

Sans waved his arms wildly. "SHE JUST PICKED A FLOWER! AND GAVE IT TO ME!"

"Yes?" He failed to see anything wrong with someone giving Sans positive attention.

"IT'S-IT'S-THERE'S NO POINT TO IT?" Sans huffed kicking at the snow.

"Didn't come across as nice?" He asked.

"WHAT? WHY WOULD THAT MATTER?"

"Seems to be how cultures who date regularly do things." He shrugged, "Some people appreciate tokens."

"YOU THINK SHE WANTS TO GO ON A DATE?" Sans rocked on his feet. "I MEAN, I AM VERY AWESOME. BUT!"

"I wouldn't say that, but she doesn't seem to mind us like we assumed humans would."

"THAT'S TRUE."

"She's confusing." Mutt nodded.

“YOU CHOSE SURPRISINGLY WELL, CONSIDERING HOW MANY OF YOUR IDEAS BLOW UP ON YOU.”

"That was only," he paused to give it thought, "twice..."

“RIGHT,” Sans snorted. “LIKE WE NEEDED IT TO HAPPEN MORE THAN ONCE.” He stopped at another trap and pulled out a device from his pocket to make minute adjustments to.

"Like you've never blown anything up."

“AT LEAST I EXPECT THEM TO”

Mutt shrugged, "Missing half the fun."

Sans flicked a few bones at his brother. Mutt stepped aside dodging the majority, one did hit home though. He stared at the hole it made in his pants less than interested in having to mend them.

Sans looked up and snorted. “LOVELY.”

"Eh, they've had worse."

Sans considered it for a moment before smirking. “NO, I DON’T THINK SO. YOU’LL JUST HAVE TO TAKE THEM OFF.”

Mutt raised a brow, "Here?"

“YES, HERE.” Sans smirked. “IF YOU CAN’T CARE FOR YOUR CLOTHES YOU CAN GO WITHOUT.”

Mutt hadn't expected that in the slightest. He crouched to undo his laces carefully keeping his gaze toward his brother to see what the reaction was. He stood back to slouching height, slipped out of his shoes, and tugged off the pants off. Silently questioning what to do with them now that they weren't on his person.

Sans grinned and took the pants, tucking them in his inventory. “LOOK AT YOU, A WALKING DISASTER.”

Mutt was very aware of his luck in actually full dressing that morning. And probably a touch more thankful for his magic control, as it was he had trouble fighting down the flush of excitement from all of this, a less inclined younger version of himself...would be having a much more vivid problem.  
"You work miracles M'lord."

“I DO,” Sans agreed. “YOU’RE LUCKY I ALLOW YOU IN MY PRESENCE.”

"More than you think." Mutt murmured quietly. Sans grinned, not catching his words. It felt great having so much power over the other, even getting him to strip out in the cold and snow. He reached for Mutt’s collar. Mutt bent, lowering himself slowly to easy the height difference. He wouldn't obstruct his brothers hold for anything, especially not now of all times.

Sans grinned, twisting the collar in his grasp and pulling Mutt down. "WHO DO YOU BELONG TO?"

Mutt bit back a whine at the pull, "You M'lord."

"AND WHO IS MERCIFUL ENOUGH TO ALLOW YOU TO EXIST?"

"M'lord is."

"GOOD BOY." Sans shoved Mutt back and continued his walk through the woods, mostly just to force Mutt to parade around without his pants on. He stumbled at the shove, barely managing not to get an inlet full of snow. At least he still had jacket pockets to help his hands busy. Focus on the surroundings, not how hard it was to force down instinct.

Sans stopped at another trap and actually used his device on it, checking the magic ratios. "HM. NEEDS A TOP UP. MUTT."

Mutt nodded, that would be helpful, not like he didn't have a bit of a thrum going anyway. "Of course M'lord." Sans watched Mutt charge the trap, before stepping over and lightly smacking his exposed butt. Mutt shot straight spined for once, what under the stars? He turned to peer down at his brother wide eyed.

Sans smirked. "IS THERE A PROBLEM?"

Mutt blinked silently at him for a second still slightly stunned, "No M'lord." Not at all. He relaxed back into his usual slouch finishing up the end of the trap setup mostly on automatic mode mind running circles.

"GOOD." Sans waited patiently for his brother to finish that time before walking on.

Mutt followed behind occasionally sneaking curious glances to the smaller brother almong his usual area vigilance.

"NEED SOMETHING?" Sans asked casually.

Mutt flicked his lighter in his pocket, "Just surprised."

"BY?"

Mutt tilted his head, "By your gracious attentions M'lord."

"I COULD LEAVE YOU TIED TO A TREE," Sans mused idly. Not that he'd leave Mutt alone. He'd camp out in a tree to keep his brother safe.

"If you wished." He replied cautiously. That would certainly be different, though the lack of things to do stuck to a tree wasn't the most thrilling prospect.

"IF ONLY YOU WERE THIS ACCOMMODATING ALL THE TIME. THE LACK OF CLOTHES MOTIVATES YOU HM?"

"Maybe...it's part of it at least."

Sans brightened up and grinned at Mutt. He was right? That was helping to get the message across?

Mutt smiled at the excitement from Sans. As long as he could keep giving reasons for that type of expression...he could make it through anything.

Sans coughed and quickly re-assumed his stern expression. "GOOD. THEN THE LESSON WILL STICK."

Mutt nodded also falling back into his neutral to disinterested demeanor. Idly wondering about how much longer they were going to be parading about. Sans walked out to check a few more traps before finally heading back to town.

And now the real test of patience, actually being home...


	12. Dinner

Sans entered the house and casually headed to their room. He had a couple ideas after checking the traps. Mutt followed along quietly. Stars this was hard. Sans settled at his desk and looked at Mutt expectantly. Mutt shuffled over and dropped to his spot just far enough not to be in the way as Sans moved in and out of the chair.

Sans patted Mutt on the head. "GOOD BOY." He turned and began to scribble down his ideas for storing magic more long term. Mutt leaned into the touch just slightly, completely subconsciously. He was in fact busy trying to keep his cool. He would not step over boundaries Sans had put forth. Sans shifted absently so Mutt could lean on him more comfortably.

It helped, and then in some ways it didn't. He leaned over resting his chin on Sans' knee. The near interceptable itch to do something crawling up his spine. Sans hummed happily, absently petting Mutt. Mutt purred shifting to rub his face against the leg he had been resting on. Sans didn't seem to notice. Mutt just continued on as he was. Face pressed against Sans' leg. He would be calm, not too forward.

Sans finally finished his ideas and looked down at Mutt. "YOU BEHAVED WELL ENOUGH TODAY. LET'S SEE YOU KEEP THAT UP."

Mutt just nodded lightly dozing against the other. Sans hugged Mutt's head to himself happily. His brother was awesome. And his. He would make sure the fight ring didn't happen again. Mutt would not leave him. Mutt snuggled into the hold, stars his brother would be the real death of him. Riling him up only to let him stew that way.

>>>>>>>  
Kari walked around the kitchen making a quick thing of spaghetti. It was weird to be making meals that were more than just raw ingredients she ate on the run, but it was nice too. Smarter than trying to rip Miss Muffet off too, she saw what she did to that last monster.

Sans walked down proudly and into the kitchen. Kari glanced over. "Hey guys, want some spaghetti?"

"YOU ARE MAKING DINNER FOR US?"

"Yup!" Kari paused. "You forgot your pants dude."

Sans smirked and looked over at Mutt. "HE IS RATHER ABSENT MINDED."

Mutt snorted, "New trend, get with the times people."

Kari snickered and turned back to the spaghetti to serve up three plates. She set them on the table, only for Sans to take one and set it on the floor by his feet. 

"Uh..."

Mutt shrugged and made a little show about panting.

“HE’S STILL PAYING FOR HIS IDIOCY. HE CAN EAT WITH US WHEN I’M SURE THE LESSON HAS SUNK IN.”

“No going to the fight ring?”

“DON’T TAKE RISKS WITHOUT MY PERMISSION,” Sans corrected. “HE’S WRIGGLED HIMSELF THROUGH QUITE A FEW LOOPHOLES.”

“I see.”

Sans tucked into the spaghetti and hummed. “THIS IS...ADEQUATE.” He ate more eagerly. Mutt grinned winking at her and taking his place on the floor next to Sans' chair. He tucked into his his own plate quietly, shooting her a thumbs up.

Kari grinned. “Good. I haven’t cooked a real meal in ages.”

“I KNOW SOME ABOUT COOKING. I CAN GIVE YOU TIPS.”

“That’d be nice!” Kari grinned, and Sans hurriedly buried himself back into his food. Kari gave him some time to enjoy his meal and enjoy it before starting up again. “Tell me you know how to make more than spaghetti. My repertoire isn’t that big.”

“HA! I MAKE THE BEST CHILLI YOU WILL HAVE EVER TASTED!”

“Ooh, That sounds pretty good.”

Mutt tilted his head, "It is, as long as you can do hot."

Sans kicked Mutt absently. "IT REALLY IS."

"Spicy, huh? How hot are we talking?"

"AS HOT AS MY PASSION!" Sans shot up, fist held close to his chest.

Kari blinked, taking in the overly enthusiastic pose and trying to figure out how that translated. "Wow. That, uh, sounds really hot."

"Has to match the maker." Mutt teased from the floor. Sans twitched and reached over to flick Mutt in the head. Kari snickered at the byplay.

"A WHOLE DAY OF SHADOWING ME AND HE STILL GIVES ME ATTITUDE," Sans grumbled.

"You were expecting something else?"

"RESPECT!" Sans puffed up.

Mutt tilted his head purring at the small flick, "He says this like I don't." Kari laughed more.

"YOU PULL AWFUL PRANKS ON ME," Sans complained.

"I just walked through town with no pants."

Kari snorted, entire body shaking with laughter at this point.

Sans just sniffed. "YOU DESERVED IT."

Mutt looked to the floor and muttered under his breath. Should have just gone for him.

Satisfied that he'd proved his point he finished off his dinner. "THIS WAS REALLY GOOD."

"Thanks! Hopefully you don't get tired of that anytime soon, as that's the only thing I know how to make for more than one person."

"DO NOT WORRY. I, THE MALEVOLENT SANS, WILL TEACH YOU!"

"Nice." Kari winked. Sans flustered a little.

Mutt bunted his head against the other skeleton's side with a little smile. Sans punched Mutt. He got it! The human liked him! And he...maybe liked her. But Mutt could calm down on the teasing before he ended up purple! Mutt laughed under his breath and stood up, he glanced between the two and took dishes back to the kitchen to wash up.

"So I take it you had fun reversing the tables on Mutt today?" Kari asked playfully.

"IT WAS NICE TO HAVE HIM SO OBEDIENT AND TO HEEL," Sans agreed. "NOT SOMETHING I'D WANT ALL THE TIME, BUT DEFINITELY GOOD TO KNOW THAT THE IDIOT DOES HAVE ENOUGH OF A BRAIN TO LISTEN TO ME WHEN I TELL HIM TO."

Mutt leaned out to stick his tongue out at the both of them while the sink filled. Kari grinned and stuck her tongue back out at him.

"WHY DO YOU ENCOURAGE HIM?"

"Cause it's fun?" Sans paused. That was right, Kari tended to not worry too much about stuff. She just lived. Mutt's grin widened just a small bit, but he didn't comment.

"You don't do a lot of that?" Kari asked.

"I...I'M BUSY."

"Yeah?"

"Y-YEAH."

"Well, next time you have free time, wanna go poke at traps in Waterfall with me?"

"...MAYBE." Sans scratched his cheek.

"Nice!"

In the kitchen Mutt snickered to himself, oh that could go fantastically.

Sans resisted the urge to check what Mutt was laughing at. "I HAVE SOME BOOKS ON TRAPS YOU COULD READ," he offered.

"Are they useful for identification?" Kari asked curiously.

"THEY CAN BE, I SUPPOSE. I SIMPLY FIND IT FASCINATING LEARNING HOW THEY WORK, AND COMING UP WITH WAYS TO DO IT DIFFERENTLY."

"Oh yeah, variation is the spice of life!"

“IT’S WHY I NEVER USE A RECIPE IN COOKING!”

“...what?” She had to mishear that. Or misinterpret.

"IT'S THE KEY TO MY GREAT SUCCESS."

"You got it memorized?"

"NO." Sans frowned at Kari. "I DON'T USE A RECIPE."

"How do you, uh, make it then?"

"BY FOLLOWING MY SOUL!" Mutt emerged from the kitchen sleeves a little damp from washing the dishes. Sans looked at Mutt and smirked. "OH LOOK. YOUR SHIRT'S DAMP. YOU CAN'T KEEP WEARING THAT NOW."

Kari paused. Was Sans asking Mutt to strip? In front of them?

Mutt tilted his head glancing between the two, "If you say so."

"I DO." Sans crossed his arms and leaned back expectantly. Kari grinned and tilted her head, watching to see if Mutt would. Mutt shrugged and tugged the sweater off offering it up to the other skeleton; leaving him in just the collar and boxers. Sans tucked it away, slowly looking over Mutt's frame. Yes, he looked good like this. A part of Sans wondered if his brother would look even better in only the collar. Instantly he went to squash the thought, only to remember he didn't have to. But...then what?

Kari looked over Mutt. "Well. Someone's pretty skinny."

Mutt winked, "What did you expect? I'm nothin but bones."

“NO!” Sans groaned.

“I can see right through you,” Kari joked.

"I've always been a transparent kind of guy."

“MWE!”

Kari snickered. “You do have a solid skeleton at least.”

Mutt grinned and returned to his spot kneeling next to Sans. "At least."

“STOP THAT,” Sans complained.

“Stop what?” Kari asked innocently. Mutt echoed her question with a look of innocence directed up to his brother.

“YOU KNOW WHAT.”

“Got a bone to pick with Mutt?” Sans screeched again as Kari laughed. Mutt laughed along with her.

“THIS HAD BEEN A PLEASANT MEAL,” Sans complained.

"Oh come on M'lord, it's not all bad. Good food, eye candy, decent manners."

“AND TERRIBLE PUNS.”

“I am enjoying the eye candy,” Kari joined in.

Mutt purred, "You know you like it."

“I DO NOT,” Sans protested.

Mutt tilted his head peering up at him, "That so? What could I do to change your mind?"

“ON PUNS?”

"On how much fun we're having. I could try for puns, but that's effort."

Sans hummed thoughtfully. Kari stepped over to drape herself on Mutt’s back. “Does this help? Seeing both of us?” Mutt glanced at her over his shoulder with a surprised little grin. Well he sure hadn't expected that, but it wasn't unwelcome. He turned his attention back to his brother.

Sans stared taking them both in. He didn’t feel sour like he had previously. Not with Kari’s bright blue eyes twinkling at him. “HELPS.”

Oh it did, did it? Mutt grinned twisting a lock of hair around a finger. "Maybe I do owe an apology for my humor..."

“So quick to give in?” Kari pouted, still watching Sans. Who watched the show so hungrily. It was good she could foist Sans off on his brother.

"I didn't say I'd stop just apologize for it." Mutt tugged lightly on her hair, "There is a difference there." That was unexpected. Kari let out a quick breath of air at the light tug before hiding her face in his shoulder.

“AN APOLOGY COULD BE FUN,” Sans agreed. Mutt chuckled at her hiding her face reaching to pet her head gently. He nodded to his brother awaiting further instruction.

“APOLOGIZE FOR SPOILING MY ENJOYMENT,” Sans instructed.

Mutt leaned forward resting his face against Sans' knee, "My apologies for the deterrent known as my sense of humor. How would M'lord wish to be compensated?"

Sans grinned. Except...he didn’t know what to do next. Well, he could act like he did. “SURPRISE ME.”

Mutt had expected that, not like Sans had much experience. He grinned glancing down to Kari, "What do you think Teeny? Any idea on how I should make it up to him?"

“Kiss and make up?”

Mutt's grin inched a fraction wider, "Sounds good to me." He slipped just far enough away from her not to knock her over in the process of moving up. He hovered just far enough from the other to pause in case this was too far, question clear on his face. Sans looked back, a touch hesitant but curious and welcoming. Kari decided now was a good time to slip off. It seemed the brothers, as odd as that thought was with what they were doing, would be getting a lot closer.


	13. Not Just A Brother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: this chapter is all smut! Incest also begins in this chapter as Sans and Mutt get together for the first time. This chapter can be safely skipped as the only important thing to note is Sans and Mutt finally start banging.

Mutt traced a finger down the line of Sans' jaw and gently pressed his mouth to the others, the intent behind the gesture much fiercer than the actual action. Sans pressed into the kiss, enjoying the feel of their bones and teeth touching. Mutt purred at the motion, tugging carefully at Sans to pull him closer. Sans went with the motion wrapping his arms around Mutt.

Mutt shuddered lightly as Sans held onto him. He backed off just enough to talk, "So am I forgiven?"

“I’M NOT CONVINCED YET,” Sans answered cheekily.

Mutt chuckled at the response. "Of course it wouldn't be that easy." He murmured leaning in and kissing Sans again. Sans happily kissed him back, one hand grabbing onto Mutt’s collar to try and pull him closer. This was good. Better than he’d expected. He should have done this before. Mutt whined low in pitch at the collar tug, slipping his hands along Sans' shoulders.

Sans clacked his fangs sharply and grinned at Mutt. Mutt tilted his head, a self offering. Sans paused, not entirely sure what Mutt was offering. He ran a flawed hand over the vertebrae of Mutt’s neck around the collar. Mutt shuddered pressing into the touch lightly. He liked that. Sans did it again, scraping harder. Mutt whined again flexing his fingers against the other.

Sans twitched a little. “PAP,” he gasped. He stilled for a second at the call, giving the younger a few seconds to adjust before he tested anything. Then he slowly drew his hands down the back of Sans' ribs.

“MORE,” Sans ordered. He nipped at his brother hungrily. He never had been one to refuse a direct order. Mutt nipped back at Sans' jaw, soothing a conjured tongue over the spot. Sans’ jaw dropped open as he whined with pleasure. Yes, this was good. Very good.

He traced his tongue along the lower jaw to the edge of Sans's teeth and pressed forward again flicking it over the backs with a soft rumble. Sans summoned his own tongue, panting a little as he messily pushed his tongue out to taste Mutt back. Mutt inhaled sharply and curled his own tongue around Sans'. The soft noise grew a bit in timber with his excitement.

Sans rumbled, pleased with the reaction he was getting, and promptly tried to devour Mutt’s mouth rather clumsily. Mutt let him explore occasionally brushing his tongue along the others. He focused more on working his hands beneath the top still adorning the other's body. Sans could feel his body flush with magic, whimpering and panting as he leaned into Mutt’s touches and clawed around his ribs to hold on. Mutt arched into the hold the other had on him, and trailed one hand down Sans' spine.

Sans pulled back when he could feel his magic thickening in his pelvis. “I SHOULD...” What? Stop? Keep going? He wanted so much, but he didn’t know what. Mutt stilled, leaving his hands lightly in place.

"Should?" He questioned voice low, airy.

Sans squirmed. “BEDROOM.”

Mutt nodded tugging him closer again and popping them both up to Sans' room. Mutt dropped them both onto the bed with a small bounce he waited for Sans to say anything about what was going on. Sans hummed, before putting his head on his brother’s chest and pulling his pants down. He could almost pretend he was just jerking off in private. Except he hadn’t dismissed Mutt. But this at least felt a little more familiar. He teased the magic slowly until a thick short cock formed for him to pump. Mutt whined forcing himself to stay still despite wanting his hands on the other.

“Stay There,” Sans muttered a little unsurely. This was still good, right? He rubbed his cock, squeezing it a little at the thrill of pleasure it sent through him. Mutt whimpered and clutched the sheets under them to focus, he would listen. This was important.

Sans flashed a brief smile up at Mutt. His brother was so, so good. And maybe it wasn’t so awkward having someone else there. He let out a low whuff as he felt a particularly pleasant spot making him jerk his hips. The blankets were soft, deep breaths- ok maybe not, breathing deeply just got him a graceful of the smell which didn't help his struggle for self control. And then Sans jerked and his own magic snapped to attention.

Sans startled slightly, before staring at the orange glow. He licked his fangs and reached out to prod it. Mutt shuddered screwing his sockets shut and whimpering again at the touch.

“GOOD?” Sans asked cautiously, pulling back. He’d never touched someone else’s.

Mutt nodded, "Yeah, just hard not to do too much."

“WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?” Sans pushed his hand over his brother’s magic, still hidden in his boxers, again.

Mutt twitched at the touch, "Anything, something..."

Well, he trusted his brother. “SHOW ME.”

He opened his eyes looking the other in the face, "You're sure?"

“YES. I WANT,” Sans gestured at Mutt and himself. He didn’t really have the words for what he wanted.

That was all he needed to hear for now. Mutt pressed Sans backward sprawling them both down onto the bed and pressing his mouth back to the others. One hand traveled down to grasp at Sans' cock giving an experimental tug. Sans gasped and jerked up at the touch, swallowing down the kisses.

Mutt rumbled a low growl at him, "Tell me what I can't do."

“NO PENETRATION,” Sans told him. “AND I’M STILL IN CHARGE.”

"Including me?" He questioned thumbing over the tip of the cock still in his hand.

Sans thought it over. “THIS TIME YES.”

Mutt nodded nuzzling into Sans' neck, "You're always in charge."

“GOOD.” Sans hummed contentedly tugging on Mutt’s collar. “NOW DO SOMETHING. I’M HARD AND WANT TO GET OFF.”

Mutt clenched his jaw at the tug and grinned, "Of course." He ducked down beginning to work his hand on the other again and started his tongue along Sans' ribs.

Sans let out a surprised and pleased sound, arching into the touch. That was new. It had only ever been his hands, and now Mutt’s tongue caressed between the ribs just right. It was almost irritating how good it felt without pushing him over the edge. Thankfully Mutt’s hand was doing a good job of helping to push him towards that, leaving his hips bucking. Mutt purred loudly squirming down some and tracing his tongue along Sans' spine as went, pausing every so often to lavish attention on the flow of magic between the joints.

“AH, AH, PAPYRUS,” Sans panted. He was squirming all over the place, just about to burst.

Mutt hummed pleased with the vocals. He debated on where to go from there...he had been told no penetration but he hadn't been expressly told not to use his mouth. He ducked just the much farther and curled his tongue around the head keeping his fingers just out of the way.

Sans jolted hard in surprise, feeling himself begin to spill. “WHA, AH, AH!”

Mutt slowed his hand working Sans through it softly, if he ended up a little messy so be it.

Sans shivered in the aftershocks. “THAT WAS GOOD.” He petted Mutt absently, panting a little. Mutt purred leaning into the petting. Sans quickly purred back at him. This wasn't bad for a first time. At all. Mutt curled to the side of his smaller brother content enough just to laze and play the scene over in his head.

Sans looked down at himself. "NEED TO CLEAN UP."

Mutt lazily nuzzled against his hip, "Showers good for that."

"RIGHT." He heaved himself up and let his magic dispel.

Mutt watched him snuggling down into the blankets careful not to make any sort of mess. Sans stripped off as he walked and entered the shower to get himself a simple solid clean up. It'd be nice to scrub down properly. Mutt waited, to excited to doze off. He kept playing it over and over, shifting slightly.

Sans came back into the room cheerfully. He paused as he took in a clearly still worked up Mutt in boxers. “WELL. THIS IS SOMETHING.”

Mutt blinked at him with a lazy noise of acknowledgement.

Sans hummed and climbed onto the bed before settling beside his brother to just look at him. His form was so familiar, yet new now that he saw there could be more. Mutt watched his brother look him over. Wondering what the other was thinking about at this point.

Sans met Mutt’s gaze and grinned at him. Mutt tilted his head, but grinned back. Sans hummed thoughtfully, before moving to straddle on top of his brother. Mutt shifted flat so it was easier for the smaller, giving him a questioning look.

“YOU BROUGHT UP WANTING ME FIRST, AND YET YOU’VE DONE NOTHING.” Sans slowly trailed a hand down Mutt’s ribs.

"Told you," he watched Sans' hand as it drifted over him, "you're in charge. Didn't say I could."

“TRUE. THE REAL QUESTION IS, WILL IT BE MORE FUN TO KEEP DENYING YOU? OR TO ORDER YOU TO GET YOURSELF OFF?”

Mutt twitched under the other, either way had merit. "That depends on what you want to do next."

Sans considered it. “IT CAN KEEP. YOU CAN WAKE ME UP TO WATCH TOMORROW.”

Mutt blinked, "You want it there all night?"

Sans smirked. “PROBLEM?”

Mutt shook his head, "Just gonna be there..." This was going to be torture.

Sans let his hand slip to Mutt’s spine. “YES. A PLEASANT EVENT TO LOOK FORWARD TO.”

Mutt arched into the touch with a quiet whine. Playing dirty, wasn't that usually his tactic?

“SOMETHING THE MATTER?” Sans tightened his grip so his claws dug into Mutt’s spine.

Mutt gasped forcing himself not to roll his hips into the other.

“SPEAK.”

"Sans please..." testing, pushing. He could play the game, it might hurt a bit in the short time, but it would be worth it.

Sans dug in tighter. “PLEASE? YOU WANT ME TO LET YOU GET OFF EARLY? BUT YOU LOOK GOOD LIKE THIS MUTT.”

"No-" he moaned low, "just-" his head spun with the mix between the pain and pleasure.

“JUST WHAT?” Sans loosened his grip to drag his claws a little before going back to more gentle petting.

He trembled, "Just... be fair. Been thinking about this a lot longer than you have."

“TRUE.” Sans sighed happily and leaned down to give Mutt a quick kiss. “ALRIGHT. GIVE ME A SHOW.” He shifted so he could see Mutt’s bulge.

Mutt nodded shifting his hips to remove the underwear. He thought about how to really go about it briefly, and ultimately took himself in hand working himself up slowly, no sense in rushing a show. Sans watched curiously. Mutt was so slow and calm in comparison to how Sans worked himself.

Mutt grinned at the expression on the other's face, "Something in particular you want to see?"

“I WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU’RE THINKING AS YOU DO THIS.” He delicately traced down and around Mutt’s dick.

Mutt let out a heavy exhale at the touch, jerking up into it. "Same thing that's always there," he panted locking eyes onto Sans' face, "Please him." Sans purred in pleasure at the response. "It's all jumbled, to many ideas. Keep goin' like this, sink onto my fingers, beg you for help..."

“YOU WOULDN’T GET IT,” Sans said haughtily.

He whimpered as he worked himself over, "Wouldn't...expect it...but you asked."

Sans purred at the whimper. “FINGER YOURSELF?”

Mutt whined at the words unclenching his free hand from the sheets, "Ne-ed to move for that."

Sans pouted. “WORK AROUND ME.”

He laughed breathlessly slowing his hand, "Meant me. Angle's weird for that."

Sans tilted his head curiously. “MOVE TO WHAT?”

Mutt tilted his head, "Knees works better... could go face down."

“KNEES. I WANT TO SEE.” Sans moved so Mutt could adjust.

Mutt nodded moving so he could reach easier and resuming his touch. He leaned back sinking onto his own fingers dry, with little whine from it, a shudder traveling the length of his spine. Sans felt himself flush. That was different. And very new. He tried to stop blushing.

Mutt curled into himself a bit both hands working, "I-" he shuddered, "you still want me to wait?"

“N-NO.” He was going to watch. No matter how flustered he got.

Mutt nodded shakily picking up a slightly faster rhythm curling his fingers scratching lightly at himself. The tiny spark of pain helped hitch him across the finish, spilling over his hand with his brother's name on his tongue.

Sans flushed deeper, hiding his face behind his hand even as he peeked through. That had been so hot, but so new and different. Mutt was still trying to settle his breathing back from a panting, he watched the other withdrawing his hands from his own magic with a shiver.

Sans wanted more. To watch again and again until he understood what he was looking at. That this was his brother who came crying his name. That this was real and happening. At the same time it was so new Sans was too flustered for it. So he just huffed at Mutt as he tried to look like he was calm.

Mutt didn't really leave him the ability for long leaning over and pressing a kiss to his mouth. "I'll take the top layer to the washer."

Sans flushed all over again. “ALRIGHT.”

Mutt grinned taking a couple of steadying breaths before he stood and carefully bundled up the top layer of bedding.

Sans watched Mutt go before shuffling further into the bed. So that was sex. Kind of. More so than just doing it by himself at least. He definitely liked it.


	14. Hobbies

Sans walked down proudly to the kitchen, Mutt slumping along behind him. He smirked proudly as he took in Kari sitting inside already, feet swinging from her spot on the counter.

"Morning Sans," Kari greeted.

"GOOD MORNING."

"Have a good night?"

"I DID INDEED!"

Kari bit her lip, a mix of embarrassed and amused. Sans cheerfully walked around to the fridge and pulled out some leftover chili. He put it on the stove and immediately began to heat it up. That was definitely not what Kari would count as breakfast food.

"So, got plans for the day?"

"I WILL BE CONTINUING MUTT'S PUNISHMENT," Sans said. "I WAS PLANNING ON DOING SOME TINKERING AS WELL."

"That sounds delightfully fun."

"YOU SHALL JOIN ME," Sans decreed.

"I will, will I?"

"YES."

Kari hummed, twirling her hair as she considered whether or not she'd go with it. "I suppose I might be able to spare some time for that."

"YOU'RE MINE," Sans reminded her sharply.

"For now."

Sans crossed his arms. That deal. Kari wore his collar but didn't obey him. It itched. She was so wild, and he couldn't keep a hold on her.

The heating chili began to smoke.

Mutt listened to the two bickering back and forth, "M'lord?"

"YES?" Kari quickly picked up a cup to hide her grin behind.

"And you get upset with my smoking." He pointed out.

“WHAT?” Sans turned his head and screeched, quickly moving to grab his chili. He filled his bowl and grinned. “SUCCESS!”

“Of some kind,” Kari laughed. Sans stuck his tongue back out. Mutt laughed at the two of them, leaning in the doorway. Kari winked at the brothers.

“YOU’LL LIKE WHAT I’M BUILDING,” Sans said confidently as he tucked into his meal.

“Oh? What is it?”

“A SURPRISE.”

"It always is."

Sans graciously chose to ignore Mutt’s words despite Kari chuckling. As soon as he finished his meal he stood up. “COME.”

Sans lead the way into a workshop area and pulled out some parts. He quickly began to work, tightening various screws. Mutt peered curiously at what he was building over his shoulder.

Kari wandered the workshop, looking over the various parts. “Are these for traps?”

“NO. THEY’RE JUST IDEAS. THINGS I DID BECAUSE I COULD. NOT EVERYTHING I’VE COME UP WITH HAS PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS. TAKE THE HOVERBOT FOR EXAMPLE.” Sans put his item down to pick up a grey cylinder. He sent a pulse of magic through it and it suddenly grew wings, floating in the air. “IT DOES ABSOLUTELY NOTHING I CAN’T DO INDEPENDENTLY WITH MY GRAVITY MAGIC.”

Kari watched with awe, reaching out to brush her fingers along the edges of the wings. “Wow.”

“YOU LIKE IT?”

“Yeah. I’ve seen a lot of stuff, but there’s always new things to admire.”

Sans grinned at Kari. She looked so happy, studying the little hovering gadget. He wanted to show her more. It had to keep her smiling if he did. Mutt poked around older gadgets, he tended to take things apart rather than leaving them to reminisce over later, but then again his things had less practical uses than Sans'.

“LOOK AT THIS ONE.” Sans took down another one and activated it. It sprouted legs and walked almost like a spider, if a little stiffly and jittery.

“Gift for Muffet?”

“I WANTED TO SEE IF I COULD MAKE SOMETHING TO SPY, BUT IT ISN’T VIABLE.”

“It’s cool that you can make stuff like this though.”

Sans puffed up in pride. “MWEHEHE! IT’S FUN.”

“I can see that.” Kari looked at the robot a little wistfully. “It’s certainly beyond what I can do. I don’t really make anything.”

“YOU KNOW A LOT, AND YOU’RE GOOD AT MOVING.”

Kari beamed at Sans. “Not the same as creating something, but thanks.”

Mutt tilted his head poking at an old toolbox taking stock of what pieces were haphazardly tossed into it, "Could learn."

Sans straightened up. “RIGHT! I COULD SHOW YOU!”

Kari almost stepped back at that. “What?”

“I CAN SHOW YOU HOW TO MAKE A SPARK BOX.”

“A battery?”

“NO A SPARK BOX. IT SHOOTS SPARKS.” Sans walked over and picked up a different gadget to show Kari. He tapped it and sparks of blue, purple, and green shirt up. “SEE?”

“Oh hey! That’s cool.” Kari stepped over to examine the box as Sans reveled again in being taller than her.

“IT’S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD AS A PIECE. YOU JUST SET UP THE CIRCUIT AND LEAVE IT A PLACE TO BLOW THE EXCESS MAGIC OFF THROUGH.” It was more of a simple magic circuit than anything purposeful, but Sans tended to go back to it to test different efficiencies. And seeing the sparks was a good measurement of if it was working or not. Sans went and picked out some gears, triggers, wires, and a soft blue crystal. Kari picked up the crystal to examine.

“ALRIGHT START WITH PUTTING IT TOGETHER HOW YOU THINK IT SHOULD GO.”

Kari looked at Sans before down to the pieces, biting her lip. “Er, okay?” She looked at the completed spark box, before carefully moving the pieces to try and get something similar.

“NO, THAT’S NOT RIGHT.” Sans frowned. “MAYBE START WITH DRAWING?”

"Maybe start with explaining in detail." Mutt replied sitting in the corner picking at a set of wires.

"ALRIGHT." Sans settled down to explain how it fit together, how the wires were insulated to carry magic, how the gears fit in to wind, how the crystal took in the magic and would gather ambient magic to power the spark box, and how the circuit had to be altered to allow the magic to bleed off the circuit and shed the sparks in a safe manner. Kari sat there listening in awe to the technobabble.

When he finally felt that it was time to put it together Sans guided Kari through the steps. His hands were deft and sure next to her own. She couldn’t help being a little distracted, sneaking peeks at the skeleton. He was so alive in this moment here with her.

Kari’s fingers would occasionally dart away from the box. Sans was amused at how quick and agile she was, even in this. It made him want to hold her even more, just to show that he could and that she wouldn’t slip away. At last the spark box was completed. 

“NOW YOU CAN TURN IT ON.”

“How?”

Sans paused. She couldn’t pulse her magic through it to turn it on. But! She could tap the crystal! He grinned. “TOUCH IT HERE.”

Kari obeyed, and a gasp escaped her as bright coloured sparks exploded. Sans beamed watching her light up. “BEAUTIFUL.”

“Yeah,” Kari agreed. She looked at Sans and smiled. “Thanks for showing me this.”

Mutt watched contentedly from his tinkering in the corner. They were adorable, it was almost like watching some sugary Naps movie. Except this had no script and could very much potentially sour easily...very fine line they were walking.

“MWEHEHE! OF COURSE!” Sans reached out to pet Kari. She half ducked away, but actually let him touch her. Sans could have exploded with happiness. He looked over at Mutt to share his victory.

Kari shook her head. “I’m gonna go for a walk. I’ll see you for supper?”

“OF COURSE!”

Mutt grinned at the excitement coming off of Sans, had he ever been this happy about a challenge before? Mutt wasn't sure he really had. He gave the girl a distracted wave lost in his thoughts as she headed out for a 'walk'.

Sans carefully put the spark box down before rushing over to hug Mutt. “SHE’S GREAT!”

Mutt chuckled with a nod, "She's up there." She was rapidly catching up to Sans in position of worth. How had that happened?

“I AM NEVER LETTING HER GO.”

"You'll have to play it carefully." Mutt warned lightly, "She's so flighty."

“SHE WON’T NOTICE SHE’S STAYING IF I’M SLOW.”

"That's possible. Just be careful about it." Mutt responded dropping a kiss to the top of Sans' skull.

Sans grinned. “I WILL. THEN I’LL HAVE YOU BOTH.”

Mutt nodded with a little grin, wouldn't that be something.


	15. Smut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is pure smut between Sans and Mutt feel free to skip

Sans couldn’t get it out of his head how Mutt had looked, fingering himself and cumming with Sans’ name on his tongue. It looked so good. He had to know what it was like for himself. The house was empty for the moment. Sans knew Mutt and Kari could be back at any time, but that didn’t bother him. He knew that technically he didn’t need to wait to be alone, but he was still embarrassed at the thought of jerking off in front of his brother. Despite how hot the thought made him.

Sans had removed his pants and underwear before carefully kneeling on the bed the same way that Mutt had. He traced a hand down his spine, feeling tingles as he caressed the sensitive bone down to his coccyx. Sans rubbed around there, picturing Mutt in his mind. It was an odd feeling. So sensitive, not enough to be painful, but...not enough to give him pleasure either. Sans huffed in frustration. Was he doing it wrong?

Mutt had popped in from his shift ending, at least he had things to plot about anymore so he wasn't so bored. There was a huff from his brothers room. Odd, what was frustrating him now? He peered into the room, and almost did a double take. What under the stars? 

"M'lord?"

Sans froze. This was awkward. He turned and looked at Mutt. “WHAT?” He could hold his dignity, even like this.

"Just sounded...off?" He grinned, "Need a hand?"

Sans growled but pulled his hand out. “YES.”

Mutt perked, he hadn't actually expected an affirmative answer. He came into the room popping the door shut with a heel, "What are you going for?"

“I WANTED TO CUM LIKE YOU DID.”

"Like I..." oh, well that was a fantasy idea. He came over to the bed kneeling beside it. He could help some for sure. "Where have you tried touching?"

“DOWN MY SPINE AND AROUND MY COCCYX. YOU WERE TOUCHING AROUND THERE RIGHT?”

Mutt nodded, "But I was already worked up also. And everyone has their own preferences. What works for me may not be as strong for you."

Sans huffed and crossed his arms. “YOU COULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT BEFORE I WASTED MY TIME.”

Mutt chuckled, "It might not be. You just have to figure out yourself." He reached up and delicately traced a finger along the crest of a hip.

Sans shifted slightly at the touch. That actually felt good. “DO THAT AGAIN.” Mutt tilted his head and drew his finger across the spot again, touch almost feather light. Sans grumbled. “NOT LIKE THAT. TOUCH IT MORE.”

Mutt nodded cupping Sans' side running a thumb over the spot again, "Closer to this?"

Sans let out a partial rumble. "YES, LIKE THAT." He took his own hand to play over the other side, dipping to rub around his hip bones. That felt better.

Mutt let his free hand trace along the others leg, "Where do you usually touch yourself?"

“COLLARBONE, LOWER RIBS, HIPS WHEN MAGIC STARTS FORMING.” Sans scratched lightly at his hip, pleased to be finally getting the stimulation he wanted.

"I find it's better to start places you know are sensitive and work up from there." Mutt ran his thumb along the other again, this time pressing slightly with the filed tip of a claw.

“YES, LIKE THAT,” Sans said happily. “JUST NEEDED TO START ELSEWHERE.” He grasped one of his lower ribs to rub at while he worked himself up, magic starting to form. Mutt grinned at the tone from the other bringing up his free hand from Sans' leg to his collarbone hooking a finger around it and dragging along it. Sans jolted at the touch. He hadn’t been expecting it. He quickened beginning to pant. “PAP, THIS IS GOOD. GOING TO CUM LIKE YOU.”

"Want me to stop touching?" He purred lowly, Stars Sans was pretty like this.

“STOP AND I’LL ENSURE YOU CAN’T CUM FOR A WEEK,” Sans threatened.

"Yes M'lord." He replied tugging lightly at the collarbone his finger was still wrapped around. He moved the hand on Sans' hip and drug his tongue along the surface instead.

Sans’ cock formed and he looked at it triumphantly. “NOW FINGERING, RIGHT?”

"Go slow," he fished into a pocket pulling out a small tube, "easy to hurt yourself doing too much."

“I CAN HANDLE IT.” Sans looked at the tube curiously as he continued to tease down his ribs. “WHAT’S THAT FOR?”

"Slick," he replied popping the cap off rubbing a tiny bit on his finger and pressing it to Sans' leg in demonstration, "you want to know you're being safe first."

“HM.” Sans took some of the lube and rubbed it along his cock. That felt good. A soft noise of pleasure escaped him as he picked up his speed pumping. Mutt crawled up onto the bed kneeling behind the smaller frame. He bit back a noise at the view in front of him. Sans glanced behind him at Mutt before turning his attention back to pleasuring himself. Now, he just had to take his fingers and start rubbing along his coccyx. He let out a grunt at how sensitive it had become as he worked himself up. Mutt purred nuzzling along the back of Sans' neck nipping once.

Sans jolted and let out a whimper. “PAP, THAT FELT GOOD.” Mutt continued to purr traveling from neck to shoulder trailing little bites along the way. Sans growled and began to work himself harder. “PAPYRUS, HELP,” he half gasped half ordered.

"Tell me what to do for you." Mutt replied voice low, pressing just that much closer.

“I WANT TO GET OFF ON FINGERS...YOUR FINGERS.” He couldn’t do it good enough himself, but Mutt could.

Mutt growled a low rumble and thin coated his fingers with the lubricant, "Relax some, tense makes it harder."

Sans relaxed and leaned forward. “LIKE THIS?”

Mutt let out a low purr of appreciation, "Yeah, like that." He brushed his fingers along Sans' magic testing the waters. If he just tensed up again that would lead to possible injury.

Sans’ spine tingled, magic forming around where his fingers were brushing to form a hole to be fingered. Sans pushed himself back. “GET ON WITH IT.”

He grinned brushing over the newly formed magic again mostly to spread lubrication, "So demanding." He pressed a single finger forward sinking it into the smaller body before him.

Sans shuddered, pumping himself. “PAPYRUS.” Mutt thrummed a low purr and pulled the finger back pumping slowly. He squirmed. “PAPYRUS, MORE!” Why was he going so slow? Sans needed more! Mutt hummed and added a second finger on the next stroke watching for signs of pain. Sans gasped deeply. He began to rock himself on the fingers impatiently, not caring for the slight pain from when Mutt’s fingers scraped the new sensitive summoned part.

Mutt whined a low timber curling his fingers as the smaller rocked on his hand. That was something he could get used to seeing. Sans growled with pleasure, forcing himself down hard as he came. “PAPYRUS!” He panted and looked down at the sticky mess. That was good. He could see why Mutt had liked it. Mutt carefully withdrew his fingers, gently petting along Sans' spine.

Sans whined. That felt good. He sat back, refusing to curl up like he felt like doing. “SO THAT’S WHY YOU WANTED TO DO THAT.”

"Glad to be an inspiration." Mutt replied with a grin.

Sans glared half-heartedly at Mutt. “RIGHT, GET OFF. I NEED TO CLEAN UP.”

"Getting off would just make a bigger mess." He joked, but moved so Sans could clean up.

Sans slapped Mutt as he gathered up the cover to wash and dumped it in the laundry basket before padding towards the shower. “I’LL BE THE ONE FINGERING YOU NEXT TIME.”

Mutt blinked at him, "That a promise?"

Sans smirked over his shoulder at Mutt. “YES.”

Mutt shivered at the expression, "Looking forward to it."


	16. Cooking Lesson

Sans had stopped work early today, detouring to the grocery store and going through the ingredients. The rabbit monster running the till had actually looked rather overwhelmed with the captain’s vehement shopping. Sans did come in and buy groceries occasionally but it was more common for Mutt to show up and drag himself through while being yelled at on the phone. This time was special though. He wanted to choose the ingredients for himself. He would only offer the best for his cooking lesson!

Sans bustled about the kitchen dragging out the pot and pan he’d need for his chili. Sans had piled the ingredients out on one of the counters only to find that there was no longer room for chopping ingredients up. He rushed around the house, temporarily stealing a dresser that he decided would be a perfectly useable platform for chopping on. Now he was ready! Sans checked his phone. It seemed it might still be a while before Kari got home. Well, he could always do some cleaning. Hopefully Mutt hadn’t managed to stash anymore “surprises” around the house since last time.

Kari entered the house and sighed as the warmth flowed through her. Sans and Mutt were great, but she was not adapted for living in a place that was continually winter. The sooner she managed to figure out how to escape the Underground the happier she’d be.

Sans poked his head out of the closet he’d been organizing and lit up. “GOOD YOU’RE HOME.”

Kari blinked at Sans. “Uh, yeah?” Was something special going on? Kari hung out with Sans and Mutt plenty when they were all at home, but Sans didn’t normally beam towards her the instant she stepped into the house. She wasn’t really sure what to make of Sans bouncing over and dragging her into the kitchen.

She stared around at the mess of ingredients and the extra dragged in dresser. “Wow. I guess there’s gonna be a big meal tonight.”

“YUP! AND YOU’RE HELPING.”

“I am?”

“YOU DID SAY YOU WERE INTERESTED IN MY CHILI.”

Oh. He’d actually remembered that. Sans had listened to a throwaway comment she’d said for the sake of pretending she was part of things, and remembered. He was including her. Kari could feel herself flush and hoped that he wouldn’t misinterpret it. At least she tended to color pretty lightly unless really worked up. “That’s true. So chef, how do we start?”

Sans swelled with pride. Chef. Yeah, he was a great cook! Someone to look up to in the kitchen. “FIRST WE CHOP UP THE VEGETABLES.” He parceled out carrots, onion, green peppers, and mushrooms.

“Okay. Where’s the knife?”

Sans blanked for a moment. Right. She couldn’t create bullets. He took a moment and summoned a bone knife before passing it over to her. Kari ran her hand over the knife. It was amazing how he could just make things from bone like that. She grinned over at Sans and set to work chopping. Sans grinned at his ingenious problem solving and grabbed the chili base tossing it into the pan to fry up.

Sans hummed cheerfully as he moved through the kitchen, stirring the chili base and checking in on Kari’s work here and there. “HERE, HOLD IT MORE LIKE THIS,” Sans instructed. He shifted Kari’s grip on the handle.

“That feels odd.”

“IT WILL, BUT YOU’LL SLICE MORE EFFICIENTLY AND NOT TIRE YOURSELF OUT.” Kari tested it out and nodded. Sans grinned and nuzzled her briefly before grabbing an onion to slice. Kari quickly moved away as the stinging from the onions wafted towards her.

“Watch that.”

“WATCH WHAT?”

“The onion. The smell makes my eyes water.”

“WHAT? WHY?”

“Not really sure. Most humans tend to react that way though. It really stings.”

Sans looked at the onions he was chopping and snorted, but carefully moved a little away from Kari. “THAT HAS TO MAKE COOKING DIFFICULT.”

“Don’t know. Maybe people get used to it if they deal with it enough?”

“HUMANS ARE SO TRICKY. I DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW A SPECIES CAN BE SIMULTANEOUSLY SO DELICATE AND SO DEADLY,” Sans grumbled.

Kari giggled. “Probably because there’s enough of us for the probabilities to play out. If there’s a one in a hundred chance and you have a thousand people there’s gonna be a group that meets the one in a hundred.”

Sans snorted and moved on with his cooking. “NOW WE ADD THE SPICES!” Kari watched as he threw in a succession of various spices and seasonings into the pot. They were in such large quantities Kari had no doubt that trying to eat the chili would sear her tongue completely off. He really seemed to be getting into it too. Kari had to keep ducking out of his way as he rushed around. He grabbed an entire can of tomato sauce and dumped it in before mixing it vigorously.

“ALRIGHT! KARI, WE NEED THE VEGETABLES!” Kari gingerly stepped over to help scrape what she’d cut up into the pot. Sans stirred that up. “NOW WE HAVE TO WAIT.”

“For how long?”

“A FEW MINUTES.” Sans started to tidy up the ingredients they were done with as Kari walked over to stare into the pot.

“That looks like some sort of monster concoction.”

“WELL I DID MAKE IT,” Sans pointed out.

Kari took a moment to get that before giggling. “No, no, not like that. That’s a saying from the surface. Er, what I mean is it looks like a bunch of crazy things all thrown together and mixed up.”

“WHAT?” Sans frowned. “WHY WOULD THEY CALL THAT A MONSTER CONCOCTION?”

“Well, a lot of humans picture monsters as being a mix of several different things that we’re familiar with. That it’s like a distortion of what’s familiar. So a monster concoction is a bunch of things thrown together that looks like it shouldn’t go together but is.”

“WELL! HUMANS,” Sans huffed. How rude was that? Monsters weren’t the ones that just pushed and pushed and had thrown them down below for the crime of what they were capable of.

“Yup,” Kari agreed. She stepped in to help Sans grab more of the dishes to wash up.

“LEAVE THE CORN OUT. WE NEED TO ADD THAT STILL. AND THE BEANS.”

“Alright.” Kari moved around the last of the ingredients and started wiping things down. Occasionally Sans hopped over to the pot and stirred it. He grabbed the dresser he’d dragged into the kitchen and climbed out. Kari didn’t think she’d ever get over the small skeleton just picking things up and going. Even if he did have a thick build her brain kept telling her that his bones should snap from carrying stuff like that.

Sans came back and stirred the pot again before grinning like a mad man. “IT’S READY. ADD THE CORN AND BEANS!”

“Yes sir!” Kari dumped them in and watched Sans spin them around crazily.

“MWEHEHE! THIS IS MY BEST CHILI YET!”

“Can’t wait.” Though she was gonna need some serious help to keep from her mouth being set on fire. Seriously, he had added way more spice than she’d seen anyone use. Ever!

Sans grinned over at Kari. “AND NOW YOU CAN MAKE IT TOO.”

Kari grinned scratching her cheek. “It seems so.” She paused and leaned over kissing Sans on the cheek. “Thanks.”

Sans puffed up proud as a peacock. “ANYTIME! YOU’RE MINE KARI.”

Kari smiled.


	17. Pet Collector

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: this chapter mentions abuse and slavery

Kari walked through town tucked into Mutt’s side. She really needed to start remembering to head back to town before Mutt showed up to save her from freezing. This was the third time.

Mutt walked quietly a trail of smoke following after them. "Got plans for moving on again?"

“I just need a bit longer in Waterfall and I’ll find a way past it,” Kari said cheerfully. A scaled monster with delicate red fanned parts walked through the town and paused to stare at the pair thoughtfully. Mutt scanned the area, something didn't feel right. Who was that? They weren't local.

The monster ignored Mutt looking at him, noting the collar before approaching. “A skeleton and...something new. Who do you belong to?” Kari silently stepped back to put Mutt between herself and the other. Mutt glared at the newcomer happily allowing Kari to duck behind him.

“Speak pet.”

Mutt sneered at him torn between telling the stupid shit to fuck off, and holding his tongue to annoy the monster. The monster shook his head and reached out to check Mutt’s collar. My, that was a very possessive claim. Not that he blamed the owner. Skeletons were not common, he had only ever seen a handful. Mutt raised a brow at the idiot getting close enough to get hit.

“Property of Sans.” He released the collar and looked at Mutt. “Take me to him.”

“Don’t,” Kari muttered. The monster glared at her.

Mutt shrugged taking a step back and scooping Kari up in one smooth motion, "No obligation to him." Kari was high strung enough from this encounter to jump at Mutt’s touch, and she didn’t settle down when held. She just stared at the other monster.

“Rude,” the monster tsked. “I have business with Sans.”

Mutt shrugged, "Ain't my business." He backed up a couple of steps watching the stranger.

“He’s your owner. That makes it yours.”

Kari swallowed down the bitter retort that she wasn’t anyone’s, digging her nails into her palms. Mutt grinned lopsidedly, "Does it? News to me." He had enough of the scent and sight for now, and Kari was getting too antsy. He popped them both off home.

>>>>>>>  
Kari flailed at the transportation, the familiar surroundings triggering panic. She had to do something!

Mutt tightened his hold on her, "You walk out there you'll be facing that idiot on your own. Nothing's touching you here."

“He’s going to trap me,” Kari hissed. She dug hard into her arms.

"That one out there? Can't if you're here."

“But it’s never safe to stay still,” Kari murmured.

Mutt set her down on her feet but kept a hold on her, "Maybe up there it isn't. But here, this is our place. Nobody is getting to you."

She curled up into Mutt. “Maybe.”

He moved them over to the couch petting her hair, "You stay right here, I won't let it happen." Kari shivered, but uncurled a little. At least this felt safe. Even if it probably wasn’t real. She could at least pretend. Mutt hummed softly, and wondered if whoever the fuck that was had found out where his brother was patrolling.

Sans barged into the house, anger rolling off him. He’d heard that someone had been looking for him and upset Mutt, even if he didn’t know who yet. “MUTT!” He barked. Kari immediately jumped and tried to run.

Mutt dropped an arm across her lap, "Shhh just Sans." Kari stilled, too much, her frame stiff.

Sans stared at the scene, anger rising in him. “MUTT. WHAT. HAPPENED.”

Mutt tilted his head, "Somebody new in town. Clearly deals in pets, tried to act like he had some type of rights. Said he had business with you."

“GOOD, THAT SHOULD MAKE HIM EASY TO FIND.” And behead. Sans turned around to go drill Muffet, leaving Kari statue still on Mutt.

Mutt tugged gently on her hair, "It's fine Teeny. You hearing me?"

Kari nodded stiffly. “Yeah...” She just needed to relax. Why was that so hard?

"Long as you're hearing me. You need anything?"

“Need?” Was he actually asking?

"Want, I suppose is a better way to put it." He murmured absently twisting a lock of hair.

“Uh, no...” She didn’t exactly want anything except freedom, and she didn’t think she needed anything. Kari scratched at her neck around her collar.

Mutt nodded gently prodding at her fingers, "You'll break your skin."

Kari stopped. “Right.” She looked at him. “Sans isn’t bad.”

Mutt snorted, "That depends on which side of Sans you're on." Kari twitched hard, and tugged on her hair. Mutt sighed, "You know he likes you right? He's out there with you in mind too."

“I give him prestige,” Kari replied.

"You do, but he had that before you showed up. He wouldn't keep up with anything he didn't like, and he wouldn't put forth effort to try and impress something he didn't deem worthy."

“...right.” She wanted to believe. It was a fatal weakness, a flaw she’d perhaps allowed to grow too much while she was stuck down here. She wanted to believe Mutt was telling the truth.

Mutt laughed lightly, "Doesn't happen often that I am." He grabbed the remote from the other side of the couch flipping on the TV for background noise.

“True. You did mistake me for cuddly,” Kari joked as she snuggled down. The tension began to ease.

"A grievous mistake." He replied solemnly. "You're clearly only the snuggly type." He continued with a grin.

Kari snorted. “Drat and blast! I’ve been caught!”

Mutt glanced around the room, "Eh it's fine, no one here that didn't know your secret anyway."

“Good. I’m counting on you to keep that secret then.” She winked at him.

"Only person I'd ever tell is Sans...and he probably knows already." Mutt responded tossing a wink back at her.

“My darkest secret dragged into the light!”

Mutt snickered, "Honey I do shadows at best." Kari laughed playfully punching Mutt. Mutt flopped over on the couch dramatically, "I ferry you back and forth, I feed you, and this is how you repay me? Woe!"

“Suffer!” She laughed. He gasped in mock shock before laughing with her. Kari laid down on top of him. It was funny, when did bones become so comfortable to lay on?

Mutt just tossed an arm over her to cuddle lightly, "He's going to be on edge when he gets back." With from stress or LV...Mutt could only guess yet.

“That’s fine.” She’d just make sure she disappeared.

Mutt snorted, "If you say so."

“Doubting me? You’ve broken my heart!” Kari flailed dramatically.

Mutt rolled his eyes, "Have I now? Allow me to apologize."

Kari laughed and stuck her tongue out at him.  
>>>>>>>>

Balar sat down in Muffet’s waving down a spider to order cider.

Muffet stopped by to drop off the mug along her way down a path between the tables, "Oh, someone new! Have a good time dearie, just do keep from soiling my linens."

“Of course.” Balar sipped his drink thoughtfully.

He didn’t have long to enjoy it before Sans burst into the restaurant. He zeroed in on the newcomer and marched over. “YOU. YOU’RE THE ONE THAT BOTHERED MY PETS?”

Muffet sighed, oh dear. An angry Sans always did upset the balance of the night...though it did create good business a few nights later when locals came seeking shelter for his ire outside of the shop. She bent to the serving window near silently whispering to the tiny spiders there to grab an extra cocoa.

Balar turned around, red fins fanning out. “You’re the owner of those marvellous pets?” Another skeleton. What a treat, even if he was beyond the reach of the monster. He was a businessman after all, and it wouldn’t do to break his clients’ trust in him by turning on a pet owner. “I didn't mean to disturb them. I merely wished to speak with you.”

Sans paused, taken aback by the monster’s actions. He knew the monster was a threat. But being treated so calmly caught him off guard. “I DON’T CARE FOR THEM BEING DISTURBED.”

“My apologies, I was unaware of that.”

Sans weighed his words. The monster seemed sincere, and Sans did know that Kari was very jumpy. He could see it being a mistake. Killing in Muffet’s wouldn’t gain him anything either.

Muffet dropped the drink off, "You two just send a small one if you need anything else." She nodded to Sans and headed back to refill a tray to make another round.

Sans barely acknowledged her even as Balar flashed a charismatic grin Muffet’s way. He turned back to Sans. “I’m glad you sought me out. I was hoping to speak with you.”

“YOU GOT MY ATTENTION.” That wasn’t a good thing in this case.

“I am a specialist of sorts, dealing in pets. I have tools I sell to clients, aid in training, help procure what is wanted and the like.” Sans inclined his head. He didn’t like it, but he did have pets. Even if he preferred taking care of Mutt and now Kari his own way.

He still needed to work on getting Kari to obey.

“When I arrived here your pets rather caught my attention. They’re in beautiful condition.”

“THEY’RE NOT FOR RENT.”

“No? And I suppose you wouldn’t sell them either?” Sans bared his fangs at the other. “A pity. Well, if you find any more like the girl, or need anything, I would love to aid you.” Balar took out a card and pushed it over to Sans. Sans didn’t bother touching it. “And one for you as well, my lady. I’m sure you don’t require my help, but if you ever wish for something I would be glad to help.” He held up another card for a spider to take. The tiny spiderling raced off the card settled neatly on its back. Another little one took its spot at the corner of the table.

Balar finished his drink and left a tip of gold. “If you’ll excuse me, I must return to my work.”

Sans watched the monster leave, his magic burning with frustration.

Muffet opened the door for the leaving patron handing over a decorative paper cup of warm liquid and a small box, "It's chilly out there Dearie, you might want to find somewhere safe to stay before the dark times kick in. Have yourself a wonderful evening!"

Balar accepted the offer. “Thank you dear.” He put the items in his inventory and walked on.

Sans got up. He had his pets to check on.


	18. Weight of a Collar

Kari tensed as the door opened, Sans entering in a mood just as foul as earlier. He looked at the pair possessively.

Mutt watched his brother carefully, "Take it you figured out whatever the thing was?"

“A PET COLLECTOR. INTERESTED IN SEEING IF EITHER OF YOU WERE FOR PURCHASE.”

“I’m not yours to sell,” Kari snarled. She broke away from Mutt and ran. Sans snarled and reached to stop her, but he was too slow.

Mutt sighed, "Still living?"

Sans looked at Mutt angrily. “NOT IF HE EATS MUFFET’S TREAT.”

"Man Muff's miffed enough to send things home?" He stared off after Kari, "Want me to talk to her?"

“NO. I’LL DEAL WITH HER. SHE’S MY PET.”

"She's shifty about that." Mutt replied softly, "It scares her, keep that in mind." He wouldn't stop Sans from going after her.

“SHE SHOULDN’T BE,” Sans snarled. He spun around to tear back after his escaped pet.

Mutt stayed on the couch listening to the retreating steps carefully, he wouldn't interfere if it wasn't necessary...didn't mean he wouldn't watch. Once it had been long enough he could track without causing a scene he followed.  
>>>>>>>

She needed to get out. Kari blindly removed her collar and dropped it in the snow as she ran through the woods. Was it dangerous? Yes, but she knew how to see traps now. She just needed to show that she wasn’t anyone’s.

Sans felt his soul ache as he saw the dropped collar. “KARI!” Kari didn't turn back. "COME BACK! NOW!" Sans ordered uselessly. She didn't respond at all. Sans screamed in rage as the human vanished, and began to attack everything around him.

Mutt slumped against a tree trunk, he had known this wouldn't go well. Now did he let Sans keep going or dare to intervene? In the end he decided to drop out of the tree, but stay back far enough to be out of the fray. Unless something else happened.

Sans caught sight of Mutt and immediately threw bones at him to impale him. Mutt dodged, just barely. Ok, so Sans was clearly more upset with the turn of events than he had assumed he would be. Sans screamed. At the worst time possible his LOVE had spiked in reply to his upset with losing Kari.

Mutt paused just long enough to assess the situation. It was risky being out here like this... but he couldn't take him back either. Sans could easily trash the entire house in a fit. Mutt darted around a tree, probably best to try and exhaust some of the LV burn first thing.

Sans started tearing through the forest. An entire tree was taken down in his rage as he chased after the only monster he saw: his brother. Well, so much for Snowdin woods Mutt thought to himself. Mutt weaved in and out of trunks and doubled back once in a wide arch.

Sans wasn't thinking. He didn't notice if he damaged himself in his rage, just tearing down at things. It was a good solid half hour before the burn began to calm down and he was able to start pulling in his control. But it hurt. So much. She removed the collar. Mutt finally stopped and popped back to his brother's side silently kneeling next to him.

Sans hit Mutt lightly. "YOU'RE MINE."

Mutt nodded pressing his face to Sans' chestplate.

"YOU DON'T EVER TAKE YOUR COLLAR OFF."

"Never." He wouldn't, not ever. Tooth and claw would be lost before that came off of him.

"SHE LEFT." He hit Mutt. "SHE LEFT!"

Mutt tilted with the blow, "I told you she was scared of it." He shifted back up, "Not you, but the idea. She's convinced she can get out of here. She wants out of the underground for space to run."

"I WANT THE SURFACE TOO!" It wasn't fair. Rage ran through him and he clawed at Mutt.

Mutt tilted, "I know. But she needs the freedom, claiming on her...she doesn't equate it to safe or protected like I do. She sees it as trapped just like this barrier. It's not you M'lord."

Sans huffed. "SHE...SHE HAS TO LEARN." Somehow. He couldn't lose her!

"Or we all do." Mutt shrugged. He wasn't exactly a traditional pet. They should have talked about this all before, "Want me to find her?"

"YES. AND BRING HER BACK!" Sans picked up her collar.

"She won't want to see that at first." He supplied standing up. At least he was good at tracking. Now how to calm her down when she was found...

Sans stuck it in his pocket. "THAT'S FINE. BUT SHE WILL TAKE IT BACK."

>>>>>>>>>  
Kari shivered at the top of a tree. Up this high she could actually see the ceiling through the perpetual clouding that allowed it to snow. Another reminder of how she was stuck.

Mutt paused at the end of the trail leading up the tree, well the only way she could have possibly gone was up. He took hold of a branch and started climbing. Of course she would pick one high enough he couldn't see to port up.

Kari looked down at seeing someone climbing up and shifted. She looked around, but there wasn't anything close enough for her to jump to.

"Don't, you'll miss and that'll hurt." Mutt pointed out as she looked around.

"Pain isn't that big a deal," Kari retorted, but she stayed where she was.

Mutt snorted, "Careful you sound like me." He settled in a spot a couple of branches away, she probably wouldn't appreciate him being any closer.

"Come to make sure I return?" Kari asked bitterly.

"I came to make sure you're safe. If that means returning, with or without the collar remains to be seen." Mutt shrugged. "He didn't mean it like you think he did."

"He wants to keep me!" Kari spat. "I knew it was a risk pretending I was his, but I'm not staying to let him tighten my chain!"

"He doesn't know anything else. Look around here, you've seen what this world is. Everything is coveted, and Sans...throws more emotion into anything than anyone else I've ever known." Mutt fiddled with the supple offshoot on his branch, "If nothing else, help get the barrier down. That's your goal anyway yeah, get out of here, be free?"

"Get it down?" Kari looked at Mutt in puzzlement. "Help the monsters out?” She shook her head. "I kind of planned to do that anyway. No one deserves to be trapped like this." She just thought it was odd the monsters would need her help to do that.

"Then stay with us until we can manage that. Give us a chance to learn how to do things a little more like the Kari way."

She actually snorted at that. "Sorry, that just sounds ridiculously stupid saying it that way."

"Didn't we just establish earlier I was low man on the totem pole?" Mutt grinned.

Kari let out a rough laugh. "I guess we did."

Mutt nodded, "How about this...you stay while we work on getting out. The collar is only needed outside the house, just in case. We can put a hook for it by the door."

"It's not the collar that bothers me," Kari sighed. "It's actually pretty nice as, well, collars go. I just don't like being owned."

"The symbolism behind it is more what I meant. Sans has clout, but it's only safe if it's used right. You think real pets really act with owners the way I do with him?" 

Kari chuckled. “Guess not.” She drew idly on the branch she was sitting on. “So what do you suggest?”

Mutt shrugged, "He would have to learn to turn it off, and you would have to learn not to panic at every little thing. I would probably have to learn not to push, and keep my hands to myself better."

Kari took a deep breath. "Well. It's only until I figure out how to get the barrier down. And it's been working so far. Right?"

"Has it? You didn't trust him today...and he will fight fang and claw about the belonging. Even if it doesn't show so much. Bad habits and all."

"I don't trust anyone."

"Now you really are starting to sound like me." Mutt snorted, "Let's go home before you freeze Teeny."

She did not want to. Kari was getting a little cold, but she could last a bit longer. "I'm good. This is a pretty good spot to hang out."

Mutt raised a brow, "Alright, answer me a few questions then?"

Kari flashed a bright shallow smile. "Sure!"

"Don't do that...faking things routine." If he had a nose it would be scrunched. " What could we do? To help you feel a little better about us?"

Kari looked at Mutt. "You don't like me faking," she deadpanned. She was a touch stuck on that.

"I would rather know the reality under the mask."

"The reality isn't pretty."

"You think I am? You ever get LV explained?"

"Uh, no." Kari shifted a little, trying to curl up to conserve heat.

Mutt shucked the jacket handing it out to her, "Levels of violence, LV. When you hurt someone...your should absorbs that energy, grows it. Once you've dusted someone, it just keeps getting easier and easier to do it. Everyone starts out at the bottom..."

Kari hesitated, before climbing down enough to be able to take his jacket. "And this world doesn't allow you to stay there if you want to survive."

"No, it doesn't. That's how pets started, if you couldn't do you either dusted or had someone who could take you. It's how the rings started to, toss in easy exp so they couldn't get away. It turned into real sport later."

"I must be crazy for being down here. I doubt I have much LV at all."

"No, not a lot compared to us." He shrugged.

"You said it gets easier. Does that mean you start wanting to hurt others too?"

"Its less wanting and more instinctual drive, we refer to it as 'spiking'. The higher you get the more liable you are to get hit with a spike in stress situations." Mutt lounged against the trunk of the tree doubtful they'd be moving to soon.

"How do you deal with it?" Kari asked curiously. This was certainly distracting her from why she'd gone up there in the first place. Mutt was good at doing that, drawing her into his world and making her want to go with him and Sans.

"Run yourself out of energy. The exhaustion helps settle it. Some go on rampages, some go on sprees and gain so quick they can't handle it and dust."

"You must be pretty strong to manage to be so lazy then," Kari joked.

"Eleven." He tilted his head back to peer at her, "Probably starting to get closer to twelve after this run through the rings."

She moved closer to Mutt. "Impressive."

"Scary." He corrected.

"Is it? You have control."

"It slips. I'm good at not being around when it happens...but it does happen."

Kari hummed and moved down to nudge Mutt companionably. "Hey, I knew this world was ugly. We'll keep going."

Mutt nodded, "That's pretty much all we can do."

"We can look for the fun side too."

Mutt grinned at her, "Oh I don't doubt we could manage some fun along the way."

Kari laughed and nudged Mutt. She looked down. "I guess we really should head back down."

Mutt hummed, "Lucky for us I happen to know a shortcut." Kari grinned and stepped closer so Mutt could actually touch her. Mutt grinned pulling her over and popping them back to the house.  
>>>>>>

Sans paced back and forth in the room. He knew he could count on Mutt. That was nothing to fear. But Kari was fighting so hard. Against him. Was he the one messing up? He looked up as Mutt and Kari returned to the house. He sighed in relief at the sight of her, reaching into his pocket for her collar.

Kari tensed. She'd fought him. Too hard perhaps. It was too much to believe there wouldn't be consequences for that.

Mutt put up a hand, "We have talkin' to do before anyone gets all up in arms." It had been a long time since he had to take charge of anything...hopefully this didn't blow up in his face.

"MUTT?"

"Yep." He replied steering Kari toward the couch. Kari lightly stepped away from Mutt even as she took her seat. Sans frowned uneasily. Mutt motioned Sans over as well, he took his own seat on the floor in front of the couch.

Sans sat down on the couch, rubbing Kari's collar in his grasp. "WHAT IS IT? DO YOU DEMAND NEW CONDITIONS?" He eyed Kari suspiciously.

"We do need to figure out a way to stop me from acting idiotically until the barrier's down," Kari replied.

Sans froze. "YOU'RE...YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE THE BARRIER DOWN?" Was she serious? His dream...would that actually happen?

Mutt rested his head in his hands, "Gonna try anyway. Did a little talking before we managed to get back. Let her talk M'lord, listen."

"I always planned to do my best to take it down. No one deserves to be trapped like this." Kari ducked her head and grinned over at Sans. Sans purred. "That's not everything. I, um, I don't want to belong to anyone!"

Sans looked at Kari and shook his head. "THAT WAS ALWAYS A RISK WHEN YOU CAME HERE, THAT YOU WOULDN'T STAY." But that didn't mean he was giving up.

Kari tugged on her hair. "I would prefer if you don't attempt to order me about."

Now that was a hard request. Sans placed a hand on Mutt as he thought it over. "I CAN...TRY." Mutt leaned into the hand on him, he would always be available to order about. Such was his nature.

"And I'll try to not spook so easily."

Sans nodded his head. "GOOD." Mutt purred softly at the interaction going on. He dropped his hands leaning his chin on the couch instead. Kari looked at Mutt for a moment before shrugging and looking away.

Sans pulled out her collar and held it out. "HERE." She looked at the collar shakily. "LET ME PUT IT ON." Sans barely refrained from making it an order, making it more of a calm statement.

"Fine." She pushed her hair out of the way, staying still as he locked her collar back in place. He pressed his magic into it and pulled back again. Mutt tilted his head quietly looking between the two. Kari shifted a touch uncomfortably as Sans happily admired his mark being returned to where it belonged.

Mutt sighed standing up, "Alright, everybody up, let's go. Food doesn't make itself."

“NO, YOU MAKE IT,” Sans ordered. Kari rolled her eyes. Mutt whined, but stuck his tongue out and headed for the kitchen. Sans grinned. Kari just laughed and relaxed back on the couch. A win! She didn’t move away! Triumph flooded Sans. Mutt grinned as he ducked out of sight to dig through the fridge for ingredients.

“What are we having?” Kari asked cheerfully.

"Who knows yet. You wanna pick?" He questioned leaning around the fridge door to peer at her.

“Burgers?”

“THOSE ARE SO GREASY,” Sans objected.

"You can put bunny food on them." Mutt replied sticking out his tongue.

“MWE! NO!” He threw a bone at Mutt’s head.

“You’re right, they are greasy. Cheese smokies would be better,” Kari joked. Mutt ducked back behind the fridge door to avoid the bone, and hide the grin.

“WHAT? NO!”

“Fine, fine, you’ve convinced me. Corn dogs.”

“MWE!” Mutt laughed at them, a full on breathy laugh. They were being ridiculous, and adorable.  
He let them bicker. In the meantime, he pulled out the stuff to make a honey sriracha sauce he wasn't entirely certain what it was going on yet...he could do chicken...hmmm

Sans punched Kari, and she playfully nudged him back, ending in the pair rolling on the floor wrestling. Mutt snorted at the two keeping an eye out just in case they knocked something over in their fray. And honestly people called him the crazy one.

Sans pinned Kari down and crowed. "MWEHEHE! I WIN!" He grinned down at the flushed human beneath him. Kari pouted and stuck her tongue out at him. "Mutt! Come and help me!" Mutt shrugged and abandoned his mixing to go lay across the both of them. It wasn't particularly helpful at all.

"MUTT!" Sans shouted. "GET OFF OF ME!"

"I'm gonna be squished," Kari joked.

"Nah, think I'll stay in the dogpile." He replied lazily shifting.

"MWE!" Sans squirmed trying to get out. Kari bit her lip. This was...interesting. And an interesting view on top of that. Mutt folded his arms and pillowed his head there faking a deliberately obnoxiously loud snore.

Sans huffed and hoisted himself up, staggering slightly under Mutt. "THIS IS RIDICULOUS."

"I find it pretty humerous personally," Kari quipped. Mutt broke his fake sleep noises to snicker at them again.

Sans picked Mutt up and dropped him onto the floor before sitting on top of his "sleeping" brother. "THERE!"

"Ooh, that looks comfy." Kari moved over to lay on both of them. Sans promptly flushed, but at least managed to hold back any noises.

Mutt huffed out another laugh, "This isn't progressing dinner at all." But he wouldn't change it all, and made no motion to leave whatsoever.

"MWE! THAT'S YOUR FAULT."

"I don't know, I was called as reinforcement."

"Truly a grave error," Kari stated solemnly, lips twitching towards a smile. Mutt stuck out his tongue and threatened to rock over just enough to flip the two off of him. Kari squealed, causing Sans to grab hold of her. She startled at the hold and shot away from the pile.

Sans stiffened. Mutt settled back down flat eyeing the two of them.

“Ah, whoops.” Kari moves back over, grinning sheepishly. She could do this. She wouldn’t jump too much. It was hard to not tense when Sans brought her down to hold, but this was fine. Mutt hummed a small encouragement gently petting her hair. Sans rumbled in approval. Kari let the tension ease back out of her frame. This was okay. Mutt relaxed into the floor, he could finish stuff later. Now was totally prime nap opportunity if Sans was enamored enough with getting Kari's attention.

Sans nuzzled Kari. He wanted to nip at her, dominate her, but he wanted to keep her more. And she only stayed when he was gentle. So he would be as he reassured himself that she was here. Kari felt distinctly odd. The affection was almost overwhelming. She still couldn’t believe how they both wanted her. And more, that they weren’t trying to force her.

She only managed an hour of Sans’ quiet affectionate nuzzling and purring before she escaped to her room.


	19. Movies with Mutt

Kari was slightly confused when she woke up and found herself facing fur. She hadn’t scavenged anything with that, had she? No wait, it seemed she’d made off with Mutt’s jacket. Huh. He’d probably want that back.

The jacket was surprisingly light for the size of it. The lining was ever clinging to the smell from the dog treats and a faint oddly sweet smell. How she managed to get it away from him long enough to sleep with it was a mystery, Sans was forever complaining he should wash it more, but it wasn't exactly left alone often.

She should go find Mutt.

On the other hand, when would she have a chance to see what he had in his jacket again? She should see how long she should keep it away from Mutt. When would he notice that she had it?

Kari smirked and dug into a pocket. The first pocket yielded an entire handful of different shaped and flavored candies....and stars knew how many wrappers. So. Many. Empty. Wrappers. How did this man walk so quietly with so much crinkly trash in one pocket alone? Kari opened a candy and popped it in her mouth to suck on before grabbing a trash can to dump the wrappers in. The rest of the candy was carefully shoved in a drawer for her to snack on later.

The next pocket had a lighter, one corner was worn oddly from his habit of flicking the top repeatedly. Other than that it was in decent shape, any design that might have been painted on it was long worn off though; leaving behind a shiny steel coat largely unmarred. It also held a baggie of dog treats, and a couple of papery wrappers that one could rest their fingers on while smoking to keep crumbly pieces off your fingers. The dog treats went back in the pocket, as did the lighter after she flicked it a couple times. She again dumped the wrappers. “I’m starting to think this is how Mutt’s hiding his lack of cleaning from Sans,” she murmured before diving into the next pocket.

This pocket was smaller, and held only a tiny well worn book. Very similar to toddler's board books with thicker pages and what had probably once been bright colors. There were several tiny mouth marks, some appeared to be from flatter sets of teeth and some from sharper. But it was obvious that it had been used to mouth on for a number of times. Why would Mutt have a child’s book with him? Kari idly flipped through it curiously. The book followed along in the day of a small critter. The story was simple, easy to follow along with, good for a short attention span. This...did not clear things up at all. She put the book back before digging for the next pocket.

This pocket had a small role of bandages and several small tubes with different textured lids. Maybe only Mutt knew exactly what was in each one. But a couple glowed different colors. The last pocket was entirely napkins from Muffets, not the stupid paper ones either. They were incredibly silky and various colors and sizes. Had he really been nicking these through what appeared to be five different decorative phases? No wonder she eyed him so carefully when he came into the shop if she knew about this.

Okay, the napkins were pretty awesome. Kari picked out a nice purple one and an orange one to tuck away into her pillow to play with before moving on to investigate what she figured was the medical pocket. She put the bandaids back. No need to worry Mutt about not having them. The tubes she took more time with, playing with the texture on each lid before opening one of the glowing ones. This was probably stupid, but she still squeezed out a bit to lick.

The mixture was almost...gritty? It was also very thick almost like paste. It glowed a faint teal-ish color and didn't have much of a smell at all. It was vaguely salty to taste with an odd kind of heat that settled in. Huh. Kari tasted a bit more, before shrugging and putting that one into the pocket. She opened the only other coloured one to taste. This one was the odd green one like the larger container downstairs in the medical kit. It smelled like over brewed mint tea, strong and bitter. And honestly probably tasted the same if anybody wanted to put it in their mouth. It tingled heavily wherever it touched, like circulation coming back to a sleeping limb.

That one she poked for a bit, enjoying the tingling, before putting it back. Then she turned to the remaining tubes to open. One tube had a single dot on the lid, the contents were clear, and mostly odorless. There was a very faint oily smell to it. Though if you dared to lick it, it was akin to chewing a glove from a doctor's office. It was very slick though. Kari...decided not to think too hard about that one. Really. It was for the best. The last tube contained something that was surprisingly creamy...and smelled like was that vanilla? Okay, this one she had to taste. Logically she again knew this was stupid, but hey! Live a little! She licked it.

It really didn't have much of a taste, but it was really thick, and fairly strong smelling. Having the tube open for too much longer would probably have the entire room smelling like a bakery gone wrong. Huh. Kari poked it again before putting it back. What an odd collection. Something to expect, she knew Mutt was prepared, but she didn’t really know what most of it was. She put the coat back on to snuggle under.

Mutt paused outside the door and knocked a couple of times, "Room service."

Kari walked over to the door, half buried within the coat and opened the door. “Hey Mutt,” she said casually. “What’s up?” She grinned, acting like nothing was abnormal.

"Small attic space and a shit ton of rocks." He grinned back looking her over.

Kari laughed. “So, room service?”

Mutt nodded handing over a plate and bottle of some dark liquid that had been tucked into the fold of his arm, "You thinking you’re gonna keep that new accessory you got yourself there?"

“What new accessory?” Kari asked innocently as she accepted the plate and bottle. She put the plate down to immediately take a drink.

Mutt snorted, "You were a nosey little thing weren't you?"

“I’m always nosey. Why, got something to show me?”

"Pretty sure you've seen what's there." He grinned tapping beside his nasal cavity, "No fleshy bits to get in the way and somebody's been a curious little kitten."

Kari smiled as innocently as she could manage. “Maybe.”

"Your tongue's blue." He pointed out simply. She had probably gotten into a candy.

“It is?” Kari stuck her tongue out. “Dang it!”

Mutt chuckled at her, "So did you go through the whole thing?"

“Yup. You’ve got some pretty interesting stuff in your pockets.” She opened her drawer to eat another candy piece.

Mutt snorted, he'd have to restock his sweets supply. "Really now?"

“Mhm.” Kari grinned sweetly up at him. “Quite the napkin collection.”

Mutt shrugged completely unapologetic, "They're soft."

“Very.” Kari slipped the jacket off. “Guessing you want this back?”

Mutt nodded, "I would appreciate it yes. Not that it isn't lovely on you."

“Not as good without the body warmth.” She passed it over.

He snorted, "No bones about it hu?" Kari chuckled. She picked up the drink to find out what it was. Mutt shrugged back into the jacket, "It's just a flavored water. Not gonna give you the hard stuff unless you ask."

Kari drank some. “Didn’t know you had that down here.”

"What, water?" He grinned, "Oh and indoor plumbing?"

Kari chuckled and elbowed Mutt. “Flavoured water, you dope. That’s a pretty niche drink on the surface.”

"Stuff gets boring after a bit if you don't modify it." He grinned poking at her nose in retaliation.

Kari laughed and leaned against Mutt. “Sans out working?” Which really translated to terrorizing the populace and beating up the local guards.

Mutt nodded playing with her hair, "Got the place to ourselves for a bit."

“To ourselves, hm?” Kari grinned flirtatiously at Mutt. She wasn’t sure whether she really meant the flirting or not. It was certainly easy, but it had always been a weapon to get people to underestimate her. And she didn’t feel like she was necessarily using it against Mutt.

"What you got an idea or something?" He grinned tugging on a section of her hair.

“Movie marathon?”

Mutt's grin widened, "Now that I can get behind."

“Great! Got access to the Disney classics? Or feel more like action?”

Mutt shrugged, "Haven't really looked at what all we've found in awhile. You can dig through the stuff and see if there's anything familiar."

“Sounds good.” Kari skipped out of the room down to dig through the movies. Mutt grinned and followed her from the room checking the jacket pockets idly. He hopped the stairs instead of walking down them and flopped himself onto the couch. Mutt stretched the length of the couch, "See anything you like?"

“Ever seen the Italian Job?” Kari pulled the heist movie out.

"Maybe part of it." He peered at her selection.

“Should be fun. I love seeing clever ploys play out.” She popped the movie in and settled on top of Mutt. Mutt curled to snuggle her automatically eyes trained on the screen. Kari grinned as the plot grew more convoluted, playing up expectations and tripping people into them.

“I love how they turned that around,” Kari chuckled. “Got away completely clean while they were distracted looking elsewhere.”

"It's a good technique throwing people off like that." He murmured eyes still glued to the screen.

“I can do mini things to distract, but it takes a group to pull off really great stuff,” Kari sighed.

"Prankster are you?" he teased nuzzling into her hair.

“Who me?” Kari quipped.

"Used to do things that that, before we got out of stripes." He muttered.

“I’ve taken stuff to inconvenience people, don’t think that counts as pranking.”

"Done a fair bit of that too." he admitted with a little laugh. Kari laughed with him. This was so warm and safe. She could picture staying here.

Wait. No. She was getting out. If she helped them do so as well that was it. No attachments.

Mutt settled back into finishing the movie, flashy things kept catching his attention. “I’m almost through Waterfall,” Kari commented casually. “Just gotta figure out how to climb up to where the garbage is coming through. I might be able to force something through there.”

Mutt raised a brow, "Gonna kill yourself trying to climb the dump."

“It’s fine. Gross, but fine.”

"Just gotta know how to tell where you'll sink." He'd learned that stuff years ago.

“That sounds fun,” Kari remarked sarcastically.

"M'lord fell in once."

Kari exploded into giggles. “H-how’d he get out?”

"I saw him slip." Mutt responded with a grin, "Wasn't close enough to stop it."

“Did you have to drag his lordship out?”

"Wasn't like that back then, but yeah I had to drag him out...and scrub him down. That smell didn't want to leave."

Kari laughed even harder. “Oh man! That’s hilarious!”

"He wasn't entirely thrilled." Mutt grinned widely thinking back on it.

The image of a pint sized Sans pouting as he got scrubbed was the best thing she could ask for.

Mutt snickered, "I can go with you, see if you can't get high enough to get loose."

"Hey, how is it no human has been used to break the barrier before?"

"That's... not a nice story." Mutt mumbled.

Kari shrugged. "It's something I need to know though. I need to succeed."

Mutt sighed, "You aren't...the first human to end up here. At least... supposedly. The rumors are that humans take out anything they come across. Mass disappearances... our Queen calls for all of them to be brought before her to be executed, takes souls to break the barrier, human ones. But, 'm not totally sure, never been the fondest of her royal highness. She's called mad for a reason, and some of that is supposedly because of her higher LV because she took those souls in revenge for her losses."

Kari stared. "Right. Good thing I've got Sans then." She was hugging the monster when he got back.

Mutt hummed, "Ingenious on your part, cozying up with the next one under her."

"He is?" She knew Sans had major influence, but she hadn't known it went that far!

"You think people run because of his stature?" Mutt murmured.

"I thought it was cause you monsters tend to kill each other when upset."

"Well that happens a lot too. But Sans...he's lethal. He got where he did from near nothing, I couldn't do much more than those stripes you met earlier for him. And he's where he is on his own merit."

Okay. Well. That was not what she had expected to learn. She knew they were killers. It was a fact. But it was different to know they were huge killers. Terrified everyone else from how dangerous they were killers. "...wow." That was probably not the right reaction, but she didn't know what else to really say.

Mutt snorted, "Lot to take in? He'd be impressed."

Kari nodded. "I had no idea." She'd stuck around because they were semi nice and let her stay in their house for free. Not because Sans had the power to crush her.

"Didn't think you did." He shrugged, "Didn't act scared of him at all ever."

"I can't believe he never said anything. He's so proud!"

"Probably assumed you knew. Everyone does... he doesn't have a lot of people who know Sans, just the Captain." Kari shifted a little uncomfortably. This was getting too intimate. He could sense the change in her stance even laying down, "Have another movie picked out?"

"Now You See Me. I like that one. It translates stage magic to the screen quite well. It's all smoke and mirrors, but there's something glorious about it."

"Stage magic?"

“Yeah! Wait, do you not know what stage magic is?”

"...No?"

“You’re in for a treat.” Kari popped the movie in and settled down to watch.

Mutt watched carefully, "But humans don't have magic?"

“No, they don’t,” Kari agreed. “But we love the idea of magic. So we learned how to trick the senses to make it look magic. See, they’re explaining one of the tricks now.”

Mutt watched carefully as they explained the trick, "Wait humans consider card tossing magic?"

“Card tossing?”

Mutt shrugged, "The flashy card stuff, it's just sleight of hand, stripes practice that sort of stuff all the time, hit pockets."

“Yeah, I know. We all know it’s not real magic, but we like to pretend since we don’t have real magic.”

"That's such a weird thought. No magic, no checking, can't see your own souls..."

“Some humans don’t even believe souls exist.”

Mutt froze, "What?"

“Well we don’t have proof of them, we mostly have to take their existence on faith. And some people don’t like that. They’d rather believe we are just random quirks of evolution.”

"No proof? I knew you couldn't see them up there...but there's no like...machinery or anything?"

"Nope. I don't think we would even know how to make something to see them. Where would we start looking?"

"I don't know...it still...your soul is everything. How do you just not know?"

Kari shrugged. "I don't know. I believed I had a soul."

"Have, you most certainly do."

"I know I have a soul now." Kari grinned at Mutt.

Mutt snickered, "Now that type of thing belongs in some cheesy Naps movie."

Kari elbowed Mutt. "Hey! How easy do you think it is to believe in something you're told is likely a myth?"

"I don't know, think I'm coping with you pretty well." Mutt responded sticking out a tongue at her.

"You thought I was mythical?" Kari laughed. "Let me guess, too sweet to be real?"

"Absolutely." He agreed completely serious.

Kari chuckled shaking her head. "Sorry to tell you, but you're still believing in a myth." Sweet? Her? Unlikely.

"We're taught humans are dust crazed. Mass death bringers. You...aren't doing anything like that."

Kari tilted her head. "Is it because I'm kind, or because I can't?" she challenged. "I'm pretty weak for a human."

"You really don't know? Monsters are just magic...extensions of our souls made physical. Any damage...is direct to all of us. Humans, you have a physical body, matter. You can take the hits and it'll hurt, but it's not gonna chip off your soul."

Kari froze. “Hitting you...damages your soul.”

"If the intent is strong enough."

“But...that’s your soul.” Kari gestured widely to get the concept across. “Everything that makes you you. How can you...damage that?” Souls were immortal! They went on after death. Didn’t they?

Mutt nodded, "They are...and they can shatter. Or monsters can just...lose hope and fall."

“Souls can be destroyed? They don’t go on to an afterlife?”

"Who knows where that energy goes? Just...shatters and leaves the dust behind." Mutt shrugged, "Don't think anybody has ever tried to figure it out."

“So the souls might not...die. They might just move in?” Kari asked hopefully.

"Maybe, kinda a big mystery isn't it?" He nuzzled at her hair again, "Morbid talks for such a comfy spot."

Kari hugged Mutt, clinging tightly. “Guess so.” She was maybe a little shaken.

Mutt ran a hand down her back softly, "You're practically rattling."

“Well you did just tell me your souls take damage. I mean, do you lose memories? Emotions? What kind of effect does that have?”

"Usually it doesn't really affect memory, we lose some HP but that can be regained. This," he fingered the scar on his face, "did scramble some stuff for me, almost didn't make it through."

Kari shivered. “Okay. I am definitely going to be careful about avoiding hitting anyone.”

"It's more than just the physical, the intent behind it matters more. You wrestled all over the floor with M'lord, but you never touched his HP. It wasn't meant to hurt him, so it didn't."

Kari relaxed. “Yeah, that’s true.” She grinned. “That was fun.”

Mutt purred, "Was fun watchin. You're pretty quick."

"Yep!" She watched the end of the movie with a wide grin.

Mutt felt his socket twitch, "He was...that whole time..."

Kari snickered. "Yup! And they get rewarded with the ability to access real magic." She sighed happily.

Mutt calmly petted at her hair again, "You humans have cities that big for real?"

"Yup! They're perfect for getting lost in."

"That's both resplendent and horrifying at the same time."

Kari nodded in agreement. "Yeah. We're so small really."

"Are all adult humans your size then?" Wouldn't that be something.

Kari snorted. "That'd be hilarious, wouldn't it? Nah, I'm pretty small for an adult."

"So you really are just a Teeny thing hm?" He teased back.

"You're a giant!"

"I'm actually pretty standard thank you." He mock huffed. It was nowhere near as effective for him as it was for his brother.

"Right. So you just enjoy towering above us mere mortals?"

"Hey, there are plenty of monsters taller than me." He pointed out, "But you do make it so easy." Kari pouted cutely up at him. He was so lucky to be tall. It certainly had to make getting to things easier. Even if she could probably go higher and fit into more spaces than him.

Mutt blinked, "No, no, nope. My years of dealing with the face are long gone put that away." Kari snickered before quickly straightening to pout again. She wouldn’t break out of it this time. Mutt whined, this wasn't fair at all! Somehow her soft little features was almost worse than Sans before he got out of stripes. Why him? She snickered again and leaned forward to press a quick kiss to his cheek.

Mutt froze for a split second before purring at her, "We doing that type of thing now?"

“Seems so.” Kari twirled some hair around her fingers.

Mutt grinned moving them to lay sideways on the couch, she was toward the outside with careful positioning so she could move if needed. He nuzzled into the back of her neck nipping ever so lightly. Kari shivered slightly. Okay, wow. He was definitely interested. She leaned up to kiss at his collarbone.

This was decidedly not what he had expected out of this day, but he wouldn't turn down affection. Even a soft kind, which was almost borderline ticklish compared to what he was used to. His purring kicked up, rumbling softly. Kari curled up a little. This was nice, but not what she’d planned on.

Mutt nuzzled at her again, "You're soft."

“The benefit of having squishy flesh,” Kari quipped. She nuzzled him back.

"Mmmm 's more than that, act soft too." He murmured twisting a finger into the hem of her shirt waiting for her to give permission. Kari caught her breath, waiting to see if he’d pull it up. He let his thumb slip under the fabric to brush along her stomach, "Not used to calling the shots?"

Kari skittered back. “I’ll be back later.” She quickly left. He hummed in thought, she was an interesting little thing. For now he would think it over, and laze while he could.


	20. Stink and Shower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay!

Today had been a good day. Sans had checked in on the Waterfall guards, beheading a monster that had been pushing to consolidate power, and enjoyed the chance to check for more exotic items. Perhaps something that had been scavenged would be interesting to Kari.

He’d been on his way home when he’d caught sight of his human perched rather precariously up on a pile of garbage. “KARI!”

Kari had been perfectly happy to lose herself in the challenge of climbing up the garbage. Which really did not smell good. Not terrible, thank goodness, but it did stink and cling with the kind of scent that guaranteed she was going to be taking a bath over. Sans’ interruption was not a good way to prevent her from taking a dip.

“Hey Sans!” Kari shouted down. She grinned at him. Act like everything’s under control and others will buy it. “Heading back?”

“I WAS.” Sans moved closer to the pile she was on. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

“Looking for where it’s coming from. The garbage has to fall in from somewhere, and that means a way back out. Right?”

Sans looked at the dump calculatingly. “IT MIGHT HAVE COME FROM A CREVICE TOO HIGH UP.”

“Judging from the river going through here? I don’t think so. I suspect the river actually comes from the surface to down here.”

Sans frowned. No one had ever thought of looking there. Then again, monsters didn’t need to. They knew the barrier wouldn’t let them out no matter what exit they found. “I SEE.”

Kari scanned around and sighed. It looked like the river went at least a couple blocks up before hitting rock. She was not looking forward to wading through that.

“ANY PROGRESS?”

“I’ve got a lot to wade through it looks like.”

“I’LL ACCOMPANY YOU THEN.”

“Great! Two of us smelling like a dump is far better.”

Sans snorted.

The pair traveled through the dump, the few monsters that were scavenging peering curiously at Kari before scattering when they realized who was accompanying her. That wasn't as odd now that she knew why it was happening. It was maybe a little funny to think of the guy who hated puns and joked around with his brother as a terrifying murderer, but hey. That's how life was sometimes.

"You didn't really need the prestige of collaring me, did you?" Kari realized.

Sans glanced over at her. "WHERE DID THIS COME FROM?"

"Mutt told me what you are. How you're second after the queen of all monsters."

Sans puffed up proudly. "INDEED!"

Kari grinned at him. "Impressive, really. It does make your little story of collaring me for prestige a little thin."

Sans shrugged. "HUMANS ARE EXTREMELY VALUABLE. IF I DID NOT HAVE YOU, ANOTHER WOULD."

Kari tilted her head. "Maybe. But it wouldn't be enough to upset your position."

Sans preened. She truly thought he was able to stand against a monster that had a human soul! Of course this was true, he was extremely powerful, and in no need for taking someone's soul. It was still delicious to have a human acknowledge that. "THIS IS TRUE, BUT MOST WOULD NOT KNOW THAT."

Kari grinned at Sans. "Still. Thanks."

Did she just thank him for collaring her? Was she accepting this? That she was his? Sans barely kept from beaming with excitement and pride. "MWEHEHE. OF COURSE. I WOULDN'T LET YOU SLIP AWAY! I AM THE MALEVOLENT SANS."

She didn't really know why Sans had chosen to take her in. She knew that there were reasons to do so, but he hadn't really had to. She gave him a lot less than she'd thought when they'd struck the deal. He just seemed incredibly proud and happy to have her around him. Which was really a funny thought. Someone so powerful, bursting with excitement because someone as weak as her ended up living with him.

Sans was personally very glad he was wearing his boots. He did not want to think about anything too disgusting touching him. At least most of what the humans threw away was solid. There was the occasional slimy substance that came with the garbage, but mostly it was appliances and books and other such things.

Kari went ahead quite rapidly, Sans watching her move gracefully. She was so pretty to watch as she moved. Unlike most monsters there was no edge of danger in her movements, no silent preparation to turn and attack at any moment. She just moved. Kari reached the cavern wall and examined the garbage being washed down the river. 

"Okay, getting closer."

"YOU THINK IT'S THIS CLOSE?"

"We just spent the past hour slogging through garbage. It better be," Kari joked. Not that it being further would stop her from going on.

"I HIGHLY DOUBT YOU'LL MANAGE TO GET OUT TODAY," Sans pointed out dryly.

"No, but at least if I find an exit I can actually start working on pushing past it."

Sans was silent for a moment as Kari began her climb up. "AND IF YOU GET THROUGH ALONE?"

"Then I come back."

That was surprising. Sans had heard enough to know Kari hated being in one place. For her to return to this prison? He would have never asked her to do that. Kari scrambled partly up the dump and peered further. It looked like it started getting cramped and narrow up there. She'd have to come back more prepared later.

Which meant going back. Hopefully by now Mutt had forgotten about earlier. She crawled back down and turned to Sans. "So, home?"

"YES." Sans happily stood close to his pet human as they walked home together. The extra height he had over her made it very clear that he was the threat and one to worry about. None of the fuss of dealing with people overlooking him to Mutt! This was fantastic! He pulled out his phone to message his brother.

From Sans  
To Mutt  
PREPARE INGREDIENTS FOR A BATH AFTER DUMP DIVING FOR TWO

From Mutt  
To M'lord  
Leave the clothes outside this time? Couch stunk for a week.

From Sans  
To Mutt  
YOU'LL ACQUIRE NEW CLOTHES FOR US

From Mutt  
To M'lord  
They'll be laid out in the bathroom.

From Sans  
To Mutt  
HOME IN TWENTY

From Mutt  
To M'lord  
Will be ready

"MUTT'S RUNNING US A BATH," Sans informed Kari.

"Oh? That'll be nice." He meant separately, right? Kari wasn't actually sharing with Sans. Right?  
>>>>>

Mutt hadn't done anything particularly horrific in a good number of years. But Kari had reminded him of a bit of a vicious streak he'd grown up with. He quickly ported back out of the house to the local store grabbing what was some of the most garish things he could spot quickly. The poor shopkeeper gave him an exceedingly weary eye, but his casual shrug set her more at ease. 

He popped back home laying out towels and the selected clothing (one a bright yellow jumper the other a turquoise it had to be considered a dress but it was very small). He'd wait until closer to when he believed they'd be back to run an actual bath.

Sans was stripped naked the instant he was in the house and beelined straight for the bathroom, leaving a very shocked Kari standing stock still in the living room behind him.

Mutt shrugged, "Not as bad as it could be," he still seemed antsy about the stink, "hand it over, all going in the wash."

"Right. And what am I supposed to wear while waiting my turn?"

Mutt shrugged, "I'd just follow him in, but that's me."

Kari debated it for a moment, before grinning mischievously. "To hell with it." She started stripping and headed to the bath after Sans. She had acted bold before. As long as they didn’t touch her she was fine showing what was underneath. Mutt shook his head picking up the trail of discarded clothing. Ugh that was still a gross smell.

Kari walked in as confidently as she could. This was just another show. She would slip in, act like it was no big deal, and wash up. Sans had already started scrubbing when Kari entered the room. He had expected her to strip down and join him, but the reality of the fact still caught his attention. He stared as she smoothly crossed the floor and dropped into the tub with him.

"Going to pass the soap?" Kari asked teasingly. Sans silently did so. This was a lot more distracting than he'd expected. Not at all like washing with Mutt.

Kari hummed to herself, occasionally sending a flirty smile in Sans’ direction. Easy. She was in control, despite being more vulnerable than she preferred. She dipped her head down to grab shampoo and start scrubbing her hair. “Want me to help you scrub up?”

Sans jolted and flushed slightly before looking away. “I’M FINE!”

“Of course. Just thought you might appreciate the luxury.” Kari winked at him. Sans sunk down in the water, cheekbones still purple. Kari laughed softly as she finished washing up her hair.

She stood back up and grabbed a towel to scrub down with. “You gonna be a while longer captain?”

Sans hastily finished his own scrubbing and clambered out. “NO.”

Kari wrapped her hair in a towel as Sans walked over. "MUTT, CLOTHES," he ordered.

"Told ya there's stuff in there. Check cabinets." Mutt called back from the kitchen, his voice wavered roughly with the volume.

Sans opened the cabinet and stared. Kari drifted over to look with him and giggled.

"THAT IS NOT CLOTHES!"

Mutt didn't reply busying himself in the kitchen, despite having already done most of what he needed for food.

"MUTT!"

Kari snickered. She picked up the turquoise dress. "Seems someone wants a show."

"I AM NOT WEARING THAT." Kari shrugged and slipped into the dress. It showed a lot of skin, but eh. It would work until she could grab something else. Sans marched out of the bathroom to dig through his room for proper clothes.

Kari slipped down the stairs to the kitchen. "Seems someone wants to enjoy the view," she teased Mutt.

Upstairs Sans bounced off his bedroom door. "WHAT?"

Mutt snickered sending her a wink, "Seemed like a decent enough idea."

Kari shook her head and sat down, crossing her legs to keep Mutt from being able to see too much up her skirt. "And you didn't include panties." Upstairs Sans was hammering away on the barrier.

"Hhhmmm damn what a shame." He replied giving the stew in the pot a little stir.

Kari chuckled. "It really is."

"MUTT! GET THIS BARRIER DOWN!" Sans howled.

"It'll come down in a bit on its own M'lord." Mutt had only energized it so far anyway.

"HOW LONG?" Sans demanded.

"Twentyfive...thirty minutes? Took a little longer than I assumed in the bath." Mutt replied calmly, though his grin inched a fraction wider.

Sans stomped down into the kitchen to join them, towel still around his waist. “YOU IDIOTIC BRAIN DEAD BRAT!”

Mutt tilted his head letting his eyelights fuzz out some, "Hm? Somethin' ya need M'lord?"

“I’M IN A TOWEL!”

“A nice view too,” Kari commented. Sans fought a flush.

"Left things in there, Teeny took one."

“YOU LEFT ME A YELLOW JUMPER!”

"It’s clothing. Should fit too...could have taken the dress." He shrugged motioning toward Kari.

“SHE LOOKS GOOD IN IT. I WOULDN’T.”

“I’m just eye candy to you, aren’t I?” Kari sighed.

"I beg to differ, on both of those last statements." Mutt responded leaning over to dig bowls out of the cabinet.

Kari tugged her skirt up a little. “Really?” She teased, pushing for him to be more shallow. Sans stared.

"Ain't saying you aren't. Just there's more to you than just that." Kari looked away. She didn’t know what was more uncomfortable. Being looked at like she was sexy, or being told they liked her for more than just that.

Sans looked back at Mutt. “I AM STILL NOT WEARING SOMETHING THAT HUMILIATING.”

"You're free to wear, or not, what you want." Mutt replied filling up a bowl handing it over to his shorter brother. Sans grumbled, accepting the bowl and sitting down to eat.

“He’s being quite generous with us tonight, isn’t he?” Kari teased.

"Very much so, dare say the towel covers less."

Sans growled. “MUTT KNEEL.” Mutt shrugged handing Kari her bowl and moving to kneel as commanded. Kari watched curiously as Sans placed his feet on Mutt as a footrest. Mutt settled down, looked like he would be there for awhile...at least he did have a decent view between the two others.

Kari tugged on her dress before turning back to eat with as much coy sass as she could. She was going to be stealing his clothes to wear to make up for this. Mutt kept careful count in his head, after the first three minutes he shifted minutely. This was slow...and while he was happy to be of service, this wasn't exactly engaging his better attributes.

Sans pushed at Mutt. “SOMETHING WRONG?”

"Nope, just not used to being still so long."

Sans nudged him more forcefully. “FUNNY, I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT DOING NOTHING WAS RIGHT UP YOUR ALLEY.”

"This isn't exactly nothing." He muttered, at least he was serving a purpose, even if it was small and in relation to a punishment.

Kari considered Mutt for an instant before dropping down to the floor to lean on him. Oh, that sent her dress up. She’d just pull that back down quickly and sit on it to keep it from doing that again, Mutt's gaze flickered to the hitch in her skirt her shifting gave him a brief moment of focus change. That resettled him for the time being.

“Want some of mine?” She offered.

“DON’T FEED THE DOG,” Sans scolded.

“But he’s so friendly!”

Mutt grinned at her, "Feedin' strays just makes 'em come beggin' back."

“Good thing you’re not a stray.”

Sans pushed at Kari with his bare foot, trying to ignore how soft and different it was to Mutt. “FEED HIM AND YOU DON’T GET TO EAT.” Kari pouted.

"Don't need it right now." Mutt assured her with a wink, "I can always come for something sweet later."

Sans flushed. "HEY! IF YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING TOGETHER I SHOULD BE INVOLVED!"

What. Kari felt her face burn.

Mutt glanced between the two face settling into a crooked grin, "Of course M'lord."

"LATER TONIGHT?"

It was getting worse. Kari could feel it creeping up to her ears. Sans smirked, enjoying the view of his very scantily clad pet flushing.

Mutt shrugged, "I suppose that would be worth the trip down the hall."

Act casual. Act casual. Everything was cool. Kari went back to eating as if she could pretend this entire conversation wasn't happening.

"GOOD." Sans grinned eagerly at Kari.

Don't laugh, don't give it away. He straightened his face out as best he could.

Sans dug into his meal, eager to finish now. He didn't know Kari was that accepting of Mutt at this point. And she was so pretty, all flushed and vulnerable. She'd been teasing him in the tub when they bathed. She had to be ready to accept him soon too!

Kari was thinking about how to escape out the window. Mutt nudged at Kari gently, more a poke than anything. Hopefully she wasn't to put off. Kari almost jumped out of her skin at the nudge, dress pulling up. Again. Yeah, she was definitely raiding Mutt's closet after this. She quickly fixed the dress, ignoring the stares.

Mutt chuckled, "Sorry, didn't mean for you to jump outta your skin. Wouldn't be half as fun lookin' like us."

Kari tugged on her hair and smiled over at Mutt. "Just..slow, okay?" Mutt nodded, she didn't seem to be in on the little joke either. Too flustered for it. Sans put his feet back on Mutt's shoulders and resumed eating. Mutt absently leaned his head against an ankle, letting his mental clock tick down.

Sans smirked. Kari knew she shouldn't. She really shouldn't. She wasn't really comfortable thinking about that. But...he was only wearing a towel. And she hadn't looked in the bath. She slowly leaned over. What was in a skeleton's pants? Mutt watched her lazily out of the corner of a socket. Curious little thing wasn't she?

Sans paused. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

Kari paused for barely a second before smirking up at Sans. "Getting a preview." Huh, nothing under there. Just bone.

Sans flushed hard.

Mutt snorted, "Remember the shapeshifter talk? Kinda works like that."

"I see."

"SHAPESHIFTER?"

"Just a conversation about the abilities of ecto."

"I SEE." Kari giggled. That was what she said. Mutt stuck his tongue out at her, and if he conveniently managed to clip Sans' ankle in the process, well that was just a bonus.

Sans pushed Mutt's head again. "I DON'T NEED MY FEET WASHED." Mutt glanced up at him and shut his jaw dismissing the magic from his mouth. Sans grinned. So obedient, even if he was his idiot brother. They finished the meal and Sans removed his feet. "I'M ASSUMING I CAN GET CLOTHES NOW."

"Yeah, should be open." Sans stood up and walked with as much dignity as possible up the stairs. Kari put aside her dish and padded silently to her room. She'd hide under the blankets until she could steal some clothes. Mutt moved to put things away and wash up. The look on both their faces...hopefully this wouldn't backfire too badly.


	21. Something Sweet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second half of the chapter is pure smut, feel free to skip!

Mutt had finished putting things away and popped up into the room. He leaned against the wall by the door watching Sans closely.

Sans dropped the towel and dug through his clothes carefully. If he was going to see Kari with Mutt later he wanted to make sure he looked good. "MUTT, HELP ME PICK SOMETHING OUT."

Mutt raised a brow, "Because you own so much that isn't perfect?"

"YOU'RE RIGHT! I'LL LOOK GOOD IN ANYTHING. MWEHEHE!" Sans put on some nice black pants and a white tank top. "HERE!"

Mutt nodded, "A good choice."

"ARE WE GOING RIGHT AWAY OR WAITING?" Sans asked eagerly.

"That's up to you. I'll follow the lead." Mutt responded, what would Sans think was best?

"HM. WE'LL WAIT FOR AN HOUR FIRST THEN. LET THE ANTICIPATION BUILD." Sans grinned eagerly at Mutt.

Mutt almost cracked, he really should say something shouldn't he? This could be such an epic mess up...but he had no impulse control about these types of plans.

Sans looked at Mutt. "YOU DON'T SEEM VERY EXCITED."

Mutt tilted his head running different scenarios in his head, "Lot of different variables."

"YOU THINK SHE'LL CHANGE HER MIND?"

"I think there's a lot of different ways things can play out."

"IF IT GOES WELL THOUGH!" Sans bounced. "AND EVEN IF IT'S NOT TONIGHT, EVENTUALLY!"

"That's the plan." If he hadn't thought about it before now...Sans' reaction would have planted the idea anyway.

"GETTING A REAL PET WAS A GREAT IDEA," Sans praised Mutt. "I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU KNEW SO QUICKLY WHEN SEEING HER."

"I don't think she'd like being referenced as such." He pointed out. "And I really didn't for sure until after she'd been here a few days."

"YOU STILL CONVINCED ME TO GIVE HER A CHANCE." Sans beamed.

Mutt shoved his hands into his pockets tapping at the lighter, "She's not what I thought she'd be at first. Knew she was smart though, had good instincts under pressure. Really does open her mouth and a younger you goes flying out sometimes."

Sans tilted his head. "SHE IS CHARMING LIKE I AM."

"She is...and curious."

"SHE SURPRISINGLY DOESN'T ASK A LOT OF ME. DOES SHE BRING HER QUESTIONS TO YOU?"

"I ask a lot too." He murmured thinking about it. She really only asked in return most of the time.

"YOU MUST KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT THE SURFACE NOW THEN!"

"Watched a couple of movies, apparently the sizes they make of cities up there is accurate."

"WHAT? THAT'S NOT AN EXAGGERATION LIKE IN NAPSTATON SHOWS?"

"Apparently not... some humans don't believe souls exist. She's curious about what happens when they shatter." Mutt shrugged, "No way to prove it."

Sans blinked. That wasn't something he'd really thought about. Not when he was so busy living. "WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENS?"

"I think I know enough to leave well enough alone. Can't stop it whatever it is."

"WELL, IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE NEED TO BE WORRIED ABOUT. WE'RE NOT GONNA DIE," Sans ordered confidently.

Mutt chuckled, "Wouldn't dream of it." Wouldn't be a dream if he did, nightmares weren't common, but he had seen some nasty lines and they did occasionally pop up. Sans smirked at Mutt and pulled out a notebook to doodle while he waited for the time to pass. Mutt spent the time in a mix of overthinking how things could go, and rebuilding an old computer (he really should work more on that project) in his head.

Sans checked and eagerly tossed the notebook. "IT'S TIME!" He quickly straightened his clothes and headed over to the door, indicating for Mutt to take the lead and announce them. Mutt rolled his eyes and nodded heading out the door to go knock on hers. Mutt knocked in a little pattern, just for the hell of it.

Kari considered whether or not she should get up and answer the door. Well, no sense in showing what she was feeling. She walked over and smiled up at Mutt confidently. "Hey!" Sans grinned smugly at her.

Mutt grinned ruffling her hair, "Don't suppose the room service bit works more than once?"

Kari ducked down a little laughing. "Nope! Fraid not!"

Mutt tilted his head, "Delivery?"

"Well come right in then!" Sans entered the room, looking around. Funny, it didn't look like it had anything changed since he set it up. Mutt grinned stepping in and tossing a candy from his pocket her way. Kari let out a little whoop and immediately settled in her bed, drawing the blankets up to cover her too exposed body and snack on it. Mutt snickered at the noise dropping to sit by the bed popping a candy into his own face.

Sans blinked, looking between Kari and Mutt. Kari nodded at Sans, continuing to suck on her candy.

Mutt tossed another piece toward his brother, "I said something sweet. Not my fault you both left your minds in the dump when you came back."

Sans processed that. Then he took it in. He stared at Mutt, candy bouncing off his head. "...WHAT." Kari snorted and fell over laughing. "MUTT!"

Mutt grinned at her laughing, but did keep an eye on his brother. It was well and fine with her but he was the wildcard. And for all his years of knowing and watching Sans, as much as he hated to admit it, this was all new to Mutt. He wasn't entirely sure how Sans would react.

Sans stomped over and grabbed Mutt to drag him out. He had never been so humiliated! Well that answered that. Shoot, he had some groveling to do didn't he? Sans determinedly dragged Mutt into their room. 

SMUT AHEAD  
>>>>>>>>>>>>>  
Mutt stumbled hitting the mattress hard enough to bounce.

"I REALLY WANTED KARI," Sans growled. "IT SEEMS I'LL HAVE TO HAVE YOU INSTEAD. FORM A PUSSY."

Mutt shuddered, well this was new. But all things with Sans were new in this department. He hadn't done that in quite some time, but the magic snapped into place almost before Sans had finished the sentence. That tone was drilled into his very core.

If Sans wasn't so angry he might have been thinking more about what he was doing and worked harder to make sure it went right. As it was he was about to dive head first into something he'd never done before. Sans stepped over and tore Mutt's pants off. It looked like Mutt would be needing to buy some new ones. He reached over to grind his palm into Mutt's newly formed folds.

Damnit, shopping was typically a waste of time. And that had just ensured a trip, in less than he wanted to be wearing. He might have been more upset about it, if the whole situation wasn't so damned close to getting him off already. Focus you idiot he ground his teeth jerking himself back to reality finding himself pushing into the hand on him.

"SO EAGER ALREADY?" Sans jeered. "SLUT." He pulled down his own pants to summon forth his own cock, continuing to grind his palm into his folds. Mutt let out a low whine, what else was there to do? He shifted, knees spreading for better balance. Something like this had fueled more than one self session alone in the tiny sentry station. Sans used his fingers to push his folds open, feeling the wetness on his fingers. He lined up to slam himself into him.

Mutt flexed his hands making sure he wouldn't rip into the bedding, that would be a lot harder to replace than clothing, and clamped jaw shut. Sans dug roughly into Mutt as he slammed into his brother. "DIRTY AND WET, JUST BEGGING TO BE USED UP," Sans growled. "WAS THAT YOUR PLAN? GET ME WORKED UP AND TAKING IT OUT ON YOUR HUNGRY CUNT?"

Mutt arched shaking his head around the low growl bubbling forth. It hadn't been his intention, but he wouldn't take it back for anything. Sans looked at Mutt. This wasn't good enough. He wanted Mutt wrecked, falling apart. He leaned over and licked at Mutt's neck before biting hard. Mutt whimpered squirming at the lick and yelped tapering into a purr at the bite clamping down on his brother inside of him.

The feeling of Mutt clamping down on him drew out a long moan from Sans. He looked down at Mutt. "JUST GONNA TAKE IT HUH? GONNA TAKE EVERYTHING I GIVE YOU."

"Prefer I didn't?" He replied voice whispy as he peeked over his shoulder.

"IT'S RIGHT YOU DO. YOU'RE MINE."

Mutt nodded pushing back into Sans with an arch of his spine.

"AND IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW WET AND DRIPPING I LEAVE YOU." Sans growled, feeling himself growing near to the edge. "YOU TAKE WHAT I GIVE YOU AND SAY THANK YOU SIR." He wanted that. Mutt left still wanting.

He shuddered rattling softly, "Yes M'lord." Yes, that is what he wanted. Sans felt himself cum deep inside Mutt and shuddered. Mutt rattled lightly again in response. He didn't dare move yet, Sans would tell him.

Sans looked at Mutt smugly, taking his time dragging himself out. He stuck a couple fingers back in him dragging them around in there. "SATISFIED FOR THAT?" Mutt whimpered pressing his face to the bed. Sans held his sticky fingers to Mutt's mouth. "CLEAN IT."

Mutt nodded pushing up just enough to wrap his tongue around Sans' fingers dragging along the bone. Sans purred, pleased at the sensual cleaning around his fingers. When he was satisfied he pulled back and sat on the bed to strip down. "DON'T GET CLEAN. YOU'LL LET YOUR SHAME SOAK IN."

Mutt blinked sitting up to look down at himself for a few seconds, then laid back down to wait on Sans ro finish undressing. Sans slipped under the blankets and pulled out a book to read, seemingly content to now ignore Mutt. He was paying very close attention to his brother however. Mutt shifted slowly, easy to stop him if wanted, to lay his head on Sans' ribs.

"YOU THINK YOU DESERVE TO BE THAT CLOSE RIGHT NOW?"

"It wasn't meant to be hurtful...she understood." Kari had laughed, that had been the intention the entire time.

"I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO SEX," Sans grumbled.

"I don't think she's really ready. Nipped her once, real light. She ran back to her room. Not sure she's used to that sort of attention, despite her talk."

"NEITHER AM I," Sans pointed out. He did start petting Mutt's skull though, satisfied with the explanation.

"And it took being very forward with you." Mutt snorted. Thick headed man his brother.

"I DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS OKAY," Sans protested. It hadn't even occurred to him to look at Mutt like that.

"Does it matter if it is?" Mutt questioned.

"WELL, YES. WE NEED TO BOTH LIKE IT."

"Outside of us?" Sans had always felt this need to keep up a reputation.

Sans thought about it. "I...DON'T KNOW." He didn't want to stop what he had with Mutt, but he didn't know how he'd react if others thought what he was doing was wrong. Granted, this entire world was wrong. It would see him and his brother dead. It was only his will keeping them afloat. So if they didn't like what they were doing...was that different from other things they disliked about him?

Mutt nodded, Sans' decisions were always the end all. "Wonder if being direct with her would work to?"

"I COULD TRY THAT." Sans grinned at the idea.

"Just remember to be observant."

"AND GENTLE. SHE," Sans paused, trying to figure out how to say it. "SHE RESPONDS SO MUCH BETTER TO WEAKNESS."

"Females do tend towards that." Sans stared at Mutt. He wondered if that knock on the head had somehow kept Mutt from remembering Alphys. Or actually realizing how Muffet behaved. Or recalling his time with Undyne. Mutt raised a brow, "In the bedroom M'lord. Outside is different, I'd say ask Muff...but that's a bad idea at this point."

Yeah that'd get him banned...she wasn't very happy with how that last time went.

"WHY? ROUGH IS FUN!"

"I agree. Girls tend to take some sweet over spice."

"HM." He'd have to figure out how to have more gentle sex then. Thankfully he had a partner to practice on before trying on Kari. Mutt shifted again trying to find a position that wouldn't have him leaking on the bed. Sans had made that hard enough digging around.

Sans smirked watching Mutt’s discomfort with pleasure. It always sent a thrill through him to see Mutt in discomfort and unable to change it because he refused to disobey Sans. It made him want to bash Mutt’s head in just to watch him take it. Mutt frowned eventually pulling the blanket to bunch up under him. It was less than comfortable, but at least it wasn't making a mess.

"STEALING THE BLANKET FROM ME?" Sans demanded coldly. Inside a thrill ran through him.

Mutt whined turning as close as he could get to puppy eyes at the other, "Trying not to make a mess."

"DIRTY PAPYRUS."

Mutt tilted his head, "If that's the expectation..."

Not the exact response he wanted. Sans made his expression darken further to try and elicit what he wanted. "WHY WOULD I WANT TO ALLOW SOMETHING SO FILTHY NEAR ME?"

Mutt squirmed, fighting with himself for a few seconds. He swung himself over the smaller leaning close, "Because filthy things don't mind the dirty work." Sans' eyelights shrunk in surprise, staring up at his brother. My, he was big. He forgot that so easily sometimes.

Mutt watched the reaction with a crooked grin, "Something wrong M'lord?"

"NO, OF COURSE NOT," Sans shot back. He rallied and glared at Mutt. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"

Mutt leaned back looming on his knees, "Just living up to my potential."

"WHAT, BEING A TROUBLE MAKING BRAT THAT NEEDS TO BE DISCIPLINED?"

Mutt tilted his head looking at him carefully dropping to sit across the other's lap, "I was going to go with the filthy part, but I suppose they all go hand in hand here." Sans didn’t know how to respond to Mutt rebelling on him like this. He wasn’t afraid. He could never be afraid of Mutt. But he was reminded that Mutt chose to submit.

“YOU’RE DRIPPING ON ME.”

Mutt shrugged, "You put it there."

“FOR YOU.”

Mutt paused, "Sans...you're not doing this only because of me are you?"

Sans snorted hard. Then he broke out laughing. “NO!”

Mutt shook his head, " Good." He leaned down and kissed Sans content to curl lazily around him now that he'd caused the mess.

“THAT’S STILL GROSS,” Sans complained. He had enjoyed watching Mutt try and deal with the mess. Being dragged into it was not nearly as pleasant.

Mutt shrugged, "You're the one who ordered me to keep it. Hot by the way."

“IT HAD BEEN AMUSING THEN, AND JUST FOR YOU TO DEAL WITH.” He pushed at his brother weakly.

Mutt grinned pulling Sans closer humming, "Too bad I seemed to have failed in my mission then."

“GROSS! MUTT!” Sans complained.

"Actions have consequences bro." He grinned nuzzling the smaller's shoulder.

“I ALREADY BATHED TODAY TOO.” He grimaced at Mutt. “I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER THAN TO TELL YOU TO KEEP IT.” No matter how hot watching Mutt squirm in the mess Sans had made of him had been.

"I'll draw you another." Mutt laughed nipping at the bone near his mouth.

“AND YOU’LL WASH WITH ME.”

"If that's what M'lord wishes."

“IT IS. NOW GET UP AND GO DO THAT.” And now he didn’t have a night of watching Mutt drip with his juices to look forward to. He’d have to mark Mutt another way. Mutt nodded crawling off the bed to head for the bathroom. Sans grimaced pulling back the now sticky blankets to look at himself. At least it had mostly dripped on his legs.

Mutt ended up sitting on a towel to keep from dripping onto the floor and needing to proper mop the room. They would already have bedding to go into wash. He adjusted the water flow and popped back to grab Sans and bring him in.

Sans wrapped himself around Mutt and nipped at Mutt’s neck. “MINE.”

Mutt tilted his head giving Sans room to work, "Always." Sans growled contentedly as he slipped fingers back into Mutt’s folds. Mutt almost stumbled the both of them into the tub. He locked himself in place to prevent it at the last second.

“WE NEED TO WASH,” Sans reminded Mutt. Mutt nodded stepping them both into the tub and lowering them to the water, shutting off the flow to prevent spilling over. Sans purred. “GOOD.” He continued his slightly clumsy fingering, watching for what Mutt liked.

Mutt shivered at the brush of fingers in him, "M'lord?" What was Sans playing at now?

“YOU DOUBTED ME.”

"I..." he trailed off any argument he could have made. He had, hadn't he? He knew better than that. Sans was smart as a whip, if he hadn't wanted...he wouldn't bother. 

"Sorry."

Sans curled his fingers sharply. “THAT’S RIGHT. I MIGHT BE NEW TO THIS, BUT I STILL CHOSE YOU. HOW COULD YOU THINK I’D DO OTHERWISE? I’M THE MALEVOLENT SANS! I CAN HAVE ANYONE I WANT.” He kissed Mutt.

Mutt smiled into the kiss, that was very true. "I should have realized that sooner."

Sans grinned nipping at Mutt. “THIS IS WHY I’M THE BOSS.”

Mutt shuddered at the attention and nodded, "That and the volume."

Sans twisted his fingers, ignoring how his own magic was pushing to form at feeling Mutt writhe beneath him. “WHAT WAS THAT?” He scratched at Mutt’s spine.

Mutt hissed out a breath arching, "Just commanding in your certainty."

“THAT’S WHAT I THOUGHT.” Sans ground his pelvis against Mutt. Mutt whimpered at the sensation, still not completely settled from before and sensitized. Sans kissed Mutt, fangs scraping and teasing as his tongue caressed Mutt’s. Kissing was thankfully easy to learn. Mutt melted into the curve of the tub curling his tongue around his brother's.

“I’M GOING TO HAVE TO CLEAN YOU THOROUGHLY,” Sans murmured mischievously. “EVERY FOLD AND CREVICE.” Well fuck he whimpered bracing his hands on the edges of the tub. He might legitimately not be able to hold out for Sans being thoroughly set on him. Sans grinned and began to slowly lick down Mutt’s neck, fangs occasionally nibbling, down to his sternum.

Mutt's fingers pressed to the edge of the tub hard enough to click. He watched Sans eyelights blown wide. Sans played over his brother’s ribs as he “washed” Mutt’s pussy with his fingers. Mutt whined again between the warmth from the water and the teasing he was rapidly working back up, "M'lord-"

“YES?”

Mutt grit his teeth, "Slipping." He admitted shakily rolling his hips vainly against the fingers in him.

Sans chuckled and kissed Mutt. “LET GO.” Mutt whined again, though it cut out when he tightened around the fingers in him, rattling slightly in his ending. Sans pumped his fingers inside Mutt to help milk him through it. Mutt came down slow and hazy, fuck he had forgotten how intense that could be. Shit had he said that out loud?

Sans smirked at Mutt. “GLAD YOU ENJOYED IT.” He turned his attention to finishing washing himself up. Mutt scrubbed a hand over his face with a breathless laugh. Sans smirked at Mutt. “NOT GOING TO HELP?”

Mutt snorted pulling Sans closer with an arm looped around him, "Course I am."

“GOOD.” Sans grinned hungrily. Mutt grinned back dragging his tongue along the side of Sans' neck dipping along the sensitive spaces between joints. Sans shivered at the attention. “THAT FEELS GOOD.” Mutt hummed against him hands coming up to splay along the other's ribs mapping out various scars. Sans looked down. He wasn’t perfect. He certainly would never pass as a soft tame pet, kept from hardship to preserve looks. But they felt good under Mutt’s fingers.

Mutt sighed against Sans' clavicle, "Relax and let me handle it." Sans closed his eyes. Mutt purred working his way along Sans body leaving little bites in his wake. He let his fingers wander as well tracing patterns along his legs and hips with the barest touches of his claw tips. Sans shivered, magic forming a cock without his permission. He wanted to take it back, prove Mutt didn’t drive him that crazy. He reached for his magic.

Mutt grinned nipping a bit harder on the rib he was attending to, "Don't."

Sans jerked and growled but let his magic stay. “BRAT.”

Mutt looked up at him with a wicked grin, "Am I, when I choose to service you?"

Sans growled but couldn’t argue without making himself seem like a brat. “KEEP GOING.” He’d liked the touches. Mutt didn't break eye contact wrapping his tongue clear around a rib dragging along the surface slowly. Sans shuddered hard and a groan almost escaped him. Mutt just redoubled his focus sliding across to the adjacent side repeating his actions as his fingers teased at Sans' spine. Sans let out a sharp whine bucking into the attention.

He straightened some to kiss his way back up to Sans' mouth. "Do you want this here, or should we go back?"

“HERE. WE’RE NOT MAKING A BIGGER MESS.”

Mutt nodded using one hand to flip the towel outside of the tub from earlier over. He carefully transitioned them out of the tub to the towel holding Sans to the wall and wrapping his mouth around him. Sans whined eagerly kissing back. Mutt purred breaking the kiss and dropping to his knees. He nuzzled briefly at Sans' lower ribs before snaking his tongue around the smaller skeleton's cock.

Oh. Sans wasn’t entirely sure what noise just escaped from him, and didn’t particularly care either. Mutt’s tongue felt immeasurably good. Mutt looked up at him dragging his tongue along the magic. That he liked, he leaned forward engulfing the other. Sans rumbled as he grabbed onto Mutt, claws digging in tightly. It was official. He loved blowjobs.

Mutt purred back hands sliding to Sans' hips, gripping loosely. He curled his tongue around again applying the slightest of pressure.

“NGH...” He wouldn’t cum so quickly! Would he?

Mutt pulled back slowly, barely letting Sans go to grin up at him. "You have your hands there, use them." He went back to sucking gently on the other. Sans growled and grabbed onto Mutt’s skull to tug him closer. Mutt purred around him relaxing enough to let Sans lead.

Sans thrusted into Mutt’s mouth, steadily pleasing himself. The purring feels great on his cock, and it wasn’t long before he cummed. He almost lost his balance before he managed to grab onto Mutt. Mutt tightened his hold on the others hips helping keep him steady. He worked the other through it, waiting for him to settle before withdrawing.

Sans sighed happily and hugged Mutt. “MUCH BETTER THAN GETTING OFF ALONE.”

Mutt nodded picking him up, "Back to the bed for you, I'll take anything that needs it to the wash."

“I’M THE BOSS,” Sans reminded Mutt tiredly.

"And you've expended magic twice in a short time."

Sans grumbled but curled into Mutt. “FINE. BUT I WANT A STORY.”

"Of course, wouldn't dream of skipping it. "


	22. Pet Abuse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: sexual abuse, assault, and death in this chapter

Balar grinned watching his pets' performances and evaluating them. The delicate feminine monster was crying a little as the other pounded into her. "None of that now. You need to perform well. No shame at being seen," Balar scolded. She quickly tried to suck her tears in without ruining her pose. That was better. Not perfect, but she was learning. Balar glanced at his audience, pleased to see some of the passersby looked interested in talking to him after. A good show was always good for business.

Mutt hadn't been expecting to 'see' a familiar energy around town walking to his post. He paused before rounding the corner of the building hiding him from the view. What to do...

Balar tilted his head as a wolf stepped up to him. "They're for sale?"

"The girl's still in training, but I have a couple others like her that are fully prepared to be auctioned off if you don't want to wait."  
Mutt tilted his head moving to hang just at the edge of the corner pulling out his phone. Balar glimpsed Mutt but didn't register him. He was just a pet. Nothing of importance. He stepped forward. "Thirtythree! Gently! I don't need her damaged!" The metallic monster slowed his pace. Mutt watched carefully, that was a decently high number. He wondered, how many were still networked?

Only a couple minutes later bones erupted from the ground piercing through Balar. The monster gaped for a long moment before dissolving into dust. The crowd scattered. Bones suddenly appearing were never a good sign. Sans growled angrily at the dust pile.

He didn't see Kari, who had just barely entered the square, staring.

Sans might not have seen her, but Mutt was well aware of her presence. However, Sans had just dusted that idiot...he couldn't afford not to be attentive to his brother at this point. Sans snarled, eyeing the pets. Thirtythree was locked in his pace, the girl whimpering. Sans raced forward and tore out his throat, the female pet screaming in terror. Mutt was by him in an instant, high LV, bigger threat. He gave the female a pointed look, get lost. The sobbing female gathered herself together and tried to flee. Sans snapped towards her aggressively.

Mutt shot an arm across his chest, "She did nothing." Sans screeched angrily and grabbed onto Mutt to break his arm. Mutt winced, this was a bad one. "M'lord others are watching." Sans looked around angrily, slowly calming down. His magic still bristled angrily. He froze as he saw Kari staring at him.

Mutt could pinpoint to the millisecond when he saw the other, "What would you ask of me?"

"FETCH." Sans needed to make sure Kari was okay.

Kari turned and ran, bolting instinctively.

Mutt nodded, "Be careful. I have the phone." He took off after her.

Sans shivered and headed to the woods to burn off some of what he felt.

Kari tore through the town. All that time here had helped her get a lot better at running on snow. Mutt did his best to follow mostly out of sight popping around. She had stamina, but she would get caught in a trap, or run herself out eventually. She didn't know how long she ran for, but Mutt couldn't follow her forever. Kari ran and ran and ran without stopping, twisting through the town and doubling back until a solid two hours had passed. She was hot, and panting hard when she finally slowed down to a walk. All her knowledge that Mutt wouldn’t harm her meant nothing when she felt hunted.

Mutt dropped from the tree he had settled in he hadn't used that amount of energy in a good long while and it ached. He held his hands out where she could see them, "Kinda need to talk this over Teeny."

Kari startled. “Oh, hi.” How on earth did he find her? Feelings of being trapped ran through her.

Mutt thumped himself back against the tree trunk, "You...have no right to be so fast for someone so small."

"And yet you still caught me." Which was a mildly terrifying fact.

Mutt sighed, "Wasn't easy keeping you in sight, and I haven't laid a hand on you. Wanna talk about what made you bolt?"

"Well, Sans killed a couple people, and then told you to fetch me, so that wasn't looking good." But Mutt wasn’t touching her. Just talking. Kari took deep breaths, reminding herself that she was fine. Mutt would let her walk away.

"Sans took scum and made dust." Mutt shrugged. "He wouldn't hurt you on purpose. He was calming already. He saw you were upset."

Kari looked away. "I know."

"Knew this was coming, you wanna go to Muffs and grab somethin' to eat before heading back?"

Kari shrugged. Muffet’s was good. And it was nice to have a delay before she returned to the house. More time to remind herself. "Why not?"

Mutt nodded turning on heel and heading for the building, "Any questions you wanna preface before you talk to M'lord?"

"Yeah. Why hunt me?" Probably not the best question when she chose to run.

"Did you see any of what went on before the dust?"

Kari shrugged. "Not really. I just turned the corner and found Sans killing them. Figured they did something."

"It was that same monster we saw before. The one who had 'business' with M'lord. The female that ran...was being publicly trained. He mentioned having pets ready for auction." Mutt flicked the lighter in his pocket with one hand and opened the door to Muffets with the other, "He didn't know what you saw. He did know you haven't seen him spiking though. And he probably wanted to check that you were safe after seeing that."

Kari shivered. She hated the idea of pets. They were far too close to slaves. As far as she could tell it was simply the culture changing the word. "It was...startling."

"It was quick." Mutt murmured. Hopefully he hadn't come across anyone else and made himself worse. He took a seat and pulled out his phone. Mutt stuffed his phone back in his pocket just as Muffet made her way over to them. 

"I hear there was a bit of a show earlier. A shame I missed it."

Kari looked at Muffet bemusedly. "Yup."

Muffet gave her a smile, "And how have you been faring Kari dear? Needing a break from the constant attention?" Mutt gave her a side eye worthy of a pissed off teenager.

Kari laughed. "You're assuming they can keep up with me."

Muffet twittered a laugh, "Oh I'm aware that you roam fairly often. Though I'm also aware of some tendencies those boys have. If you ever need any help with them you just let me know dearie. What would you like, something to settle your nerves?"

"Please."

Muffet nodded, "You mongrel, keep a good eye on her." She turned primly on a heel one set of arms smoothing her clothing and the other keeping tabs on her notepad. 

Mutt looked her over, "Don't finish the cup."

"What? Why?"

"Half will settle you pretty well, cozy. Drink the whole thing you'll be asleep before we get home."

Kari eyed the drink warily. "It's a sleeping potion."

"It's tea, has enough whatever she uses to work. She has no reason to hurt you." Mutt shrugged and nibbled on what seemed like it might be an onion ring...under the near lake of bbq sauce it was drenched in.

"Right." Kari continued eyeing the cup warily.

"Want me to try it first?" Kari slowly pushed it towards him. Mutt snorted took a sip and pressed it back at her, "See, not toxic. Take a few sips at least to calm your nerves before we head back. You know M'lord is going to be wearing a track in the floors by now."

"He's..." How could she say it in a way that wouldn't reveal too much? "...very obsessive about my care." Kari sipped the tea slowly. Huh, this was nice.

"He's like that with anything precious." Mutt licked the sauce off another of the rings from the pile.

"Mm." Kari drank some more. There was a lot more to these monsters than she had expected. It was funnily enough, like the opposite of what she was used to. Appearing harsh but actually soft.

Mutt watched her warily, the last thing he wanted was for her to injure herself overdoing one of Muffet’s special blends. "Let me know when you're ready." Kari watched Mutt back, not really sure what Mutt was doing. She yawned after she was done about a quarter of the cup. Mutt grinned, "Working fast. Must be cause you're small." She stuck her tongue out at Mutt. Mutt drug a heavily sauced ring over her tongue letting it dangle there.

Kari laughed softly. "Really?"

"You're the one sticking it out there."

Kari took another sip of tea tiredly. "Mm."

Mutt sighed he was still tired, but at least he wasn't aching after eating. Muffet really was a goddess sometimes, bless her. He looked to Kari, "Look like you're about to pass out."

"I can make it back." She wouldn't pass out in public. Maybe in an alley outside, but not here.

"Come on, let's get you back." He dropped a handful of coins down to a little grouping of spiderlings under the table. Kari stood up and followed Mutt back outside, suppressing another yawn. Mutt lead the way back to the house, hopefully the cold would help her wake a little. Kari walked up to Mutt to lean on him as they walked. He was really nice and solid. Mutt glanced down to her letting an arm settle around her shoulders.

Sans looked up as Mutt and a half asleep Kari entered the room. Kari smiled at him before yawning.

Mutt steered her over to the couch, "She's had some tea."

"I SEE." Sans walked over to check on her. Kari frowned grumpily at him. "I'm fine." Sans looked to Mutt. Mutt shrugged shaking his head. She was complicated, and he wasn't going to pretend he understood these things that well. Sans turned back to Kari and patted her on the head. Kari stuck her tongue out at him, before grabbing him to pull down. Sans tensed at the sudden movement, Kari nuzzling into him happily. What was this. What did he do.

Mutt chuckled grabbing a blanket and tucking it around the two, "Seems someone's comfortable for the time being."

"MUTT," Sans growled. Kari nuzzled Sans contentedly. "Just stay there," she murmured.

Mutt looked at his brother stroking over Kari's hair, "You still riding high?"

"NO." He'd had the time to calm the spike down. Kari blinked slowly, not quite opening her eyes again.

"Then you can relax and snuggle the Teeny thing for awhile while I figure out dinner." They were both probably fairly drained from the afternoon, not the safest notion in this world. Sans nodded, pulling Kari close. She was so warm and soft, and he was maybe more than a little bit happy that she'd chosen to snuggle him. Mutt nodded back and wandered toward the kitchen. He would keep an ear on them just in case.


	23. Reset

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A morning repeats

Mutt returned around an hour later with a large salad bowl (maybe just slightly overfilled) in one hand and various drinks and cutlery tucked under his arms. Sans nodded at Mutt, cheerfully curling around Kari as she was yet to wake up. Mutt grinned, "Should I feed you?"

"YES." That'd be perfect. Holding onto Kari while Mutt hand fed him. Mutt nodded making up a bowl and perching himself on the floor in front of his brother for ease of action, holding out a bite. Sans accepted the bite. "NOT BAD." He looked down as Kari shifted in her sleep and smiled fondly. "SHE'S A GOOD GIRL."

"She is," Mutt grinned, "little flighty at times. But good."

"I'M SURPRISED MUFFET MADE HER ONE OF HER BLENDS."

"I think Muffet is more fond of her than I would have given credit for."

"INTERESTING." But Kari was his and Mutt's, not Muffet's. He petted Kari softly. Mutt hummed in thought settling out another bite for the other skeleton, and watching her reactions to touch distractedly. Sans ate as he watched Kari. She wasn't afraid in her sleep. She was in fact clingy.

Mutt laughed lightly, "You might be trapped on the couch for the night."

"NO. I'LL JUST HAVE YOU TELEPORT US TO THE BEDROOM."

Mutt blinked, "Think she'll be alright waking up in there?"

"OF COURSE."

Mutt shrugged, "Alright."

"IN FACT, I BET SHE'D ENJOY IT!" Sans' eyelights danced at the thought of Kari being happy to sleep with him and Mutt.

Mutt tilted his head watching studying her sleeping form, "Maybe." Sans rumbled contentedly at his plan. Mutt did have some reservations about it, if it backfired it would be do so spectacularly. But at the same time...if it did work...

"YOU STOPPED FEEDING ME," Sans reprimanded.

Mutt grinned, "Many apologies. Lost in thoughts." He picked back up holding out another bite.

Sans took the bite with dignity. "SEE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN."

Mutt nodded, "Yes Milord."

Sans continued to eat what Mutt gave him until the bowl was empty. “WE SHOULD MOVE TO OUR ROOM.” Mutt hummed in approval and set the bowl down, he would come back and fix the mess once they were settled. 

"Can do." He replied scooping the both of them up carefully and popping them all into the bedroom. Mutt settled them as gently as he could on the bed, "I'll be right back, gonna go put things away and check the locks."

“ALRIGHT.” Sans busied himself mentally thinking about one of the gadgets he’d been working on.

Mutt nodded popping back down to run the rounds and finish up cleaning what was left of dinner. He checked everything a couple of times and headed back up the stairs carefully avoiding anything that might creak out of habit. Once back he paused in the doorway just to take in the visual of the other two sprawled in the bed together.

Sans looked at Mutt and beamed at him. He gestured for Mutt to come and join them. It wouldn’t be complete without him. Mutt grinned coming over to settle onto the bed as well careful not to shift the mattress around too much and disturb the balance of the already comfortable others. Kari shifted at the addition. Sans watched her closely, Mutt froze before slowly relaxing as she didn't actually wake up. He clamped down on the urge to purr at everyone being in one spot, carefully slinging an arm over the both of them instead.

Sans sighed contentedly and leaned back into Mutt, letting his mind continue to race as he snuggled his pets. Mutt dropped off to lightly dozing fairly quick. He was still mostly awake, the quiet and warmth lulled him just enough though.  
>>>>>>>>>>

Kari woke up slowly. She was warm and comfortable, and didn't particularly feel like moving. It wasn't like she hadn't slept on top of Mutt before. Hm. There was a second body. She shifted a bit to look up. Oh. Sans had joined them. That was surprising. And nice. She let out a low hum of contentment. Mutt peered one eye open purring and snuggling back down, managing to cover his face with the blanket. Sans purred quietly. Kari blinked. This wasn't the couch. She looked around. Yep, definitely not the couch. She was in their bed. Kari quickly lifted the blankets and checked. Clothes were still on. Okay. So what was she doing here?

Mutt tightened his grip on them just a bit, "Lettin' in the cold Teeny."

Kari dropped the blankets. "I'm in your bed."

"YES YOU ARE."

"Mhmm." Mutt hummed back burying his face in whatever part of who was closest to him. Kari blinked at Mutt burying his head in her chest, and looked up at Sans. He looked surprisingly content with this development.

"Fell asleep on the couch clingin' so we just moved you in with us." Mutt mumbled from his spot.

Kari snorted. "Not paying attention to where your head is?"

Sans petted Kari. "IT'S FINE. BETTER HAVING YOU HERE WITH US."

Mutt snorted, "'M mostly aware." He did have a bit of cotton head from first thing and rebuilding energy stocks. Kari rolled her eyes, and decided to just roll with it. Sans purred as Kari snuggled down into the blankets. Mutt tucked himself down further, rubbing his face against Kari's stomach and a part of the blanket. What was Mutt doing? Kari leaned back, but Sans was calm. She'd just see what happened then. Mutt just settled back down to laze there purring lightly, not quite dozing but certainly not moving to get up.

Sans patted Mutt and slipped out of bed. Kari watched warily as the short skeleton padded out. Mutt whined and curled a little closer to her at the loss of a body in the bed. If one was up the rest would be soon. Kari chuckled quietly. He was so cute like this, curled up and hiding under the blankets.

"What's funny? He's gonna come back and demand we get up." Mutt mumbled.

“I’ll be your knight and fight him off,” Kari teased.

Mutt chuckled, "Or flirt him back in."

“Think that’d work? Oh Sans, I desperately need you to hold me!”

“YOU DO?”

Kari startled. Sans entered the room grinning. “MWEHEHE! HUMAN! IF YOU NEEDED ME YOU SHOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING SOONER!” Mutt chuckled under the blanket pressing his face into her side to muffle it. Sans reentered the bed and grabbed Kari to pull into a tight snuggle. He was winning her over! Already she needed his touch! Kari squeaked, her cheeks turning pink. Mutt shifted behind her so he was laying on his front, tossing an arm around the both of them.

“Well this is cozy,” Kari squeaked.

“MWEHEHE!” Sans nuzzled Kari energetically. Mutt chuckled idly petting along Sans spine lazily. This was something he wouldn't mind getting used to.

Sans shifted so Mutt could pet his spine more easily, Kari mostly at this point buried under bones. “You’re lucky you guys weigh nothing.”

Mutt stuck out his tongue poking at the shell of her ear, "I weigh perfectly normal for my stature thank you." Kari yelped and wriggled at the tongue in her ear. Sans squirmed at his spot being shifted and elbowed Mutt. Bonus of being all bone: his elbows were extremely sharp. Mutt grunted at the sharp intrusion on his person. Sans growled a little at Mutt. Kari felt it reverberate faintly through her and snuggled down. Mutt ducked beneath the blanket again out of the trouble zone.

Kari giggled. "Oh no, where did he go?"

"MWE! HIDING BROTHER?" Mutt took revenge reaching across Kari to poke Sans' in the ribs. Sans wriggled at the ticklish movement and growled again. "I WILL BITE YOU."

"Is that a threat or a promise?" Kari joked. Sans looked at Kari hungrily. Was she saying he could bite her?

"Playing with fire Teeny." Mutt replied from under the blanket. Kari blushed a little and ducked under the blanket with Mutt. Sans snorted. Silly girl.

Mutt grinned at her "Who said down here was safer?" Kari reddened further and shoved a little at Mutt. Mutt purred catching her around the waist and nuzzling into the back of her neck. Sans purred, hugging both of them. He would love to kiss both of them, but he refused to go under the blankets. Kari blushed a little, but didn't pull away. It was so intimate and nice and cozy under there. Mutt chuckled and drug Sans down with them.

"MWE! NO!" Sans protested. Kari smiled at Sans and leaned over to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. Sans immediately turned purple with a goofy smile.

Mutt hummed, "Now she plays it safe." Sans flicked Mutt and leaned over to nip a kiss on Kari. Kari ducked a little and snuggled backwards into Mutt. Mutt wrapped an arm around her and chuckled leaning over nuzzle at the other skeleton. Sans purred nuzzling back. 

Okay, this was getting way too mushy and sentimental. Kari was not interested in getting dragged into that game. She was free. She didn't let others puppet her. She squirmed and tried to crawl out from under the skeletons.

Mutt tsk'd loosening his grip, "Should be charging a toll for your release."

"You want a kiss too?"

"Wouldn't argue one," Mutt shrugged, "but I've never been one for giving demands." Kari grinned and leaned over to kiss Mutt's cheek before managing to wriggle out and leave the house.

"I WAS GOING TO KEEP HER LONGER," Sans grumbled.

"Baby steps M'lord. Remember gentle, she's more skittish than most."

"I KNOW TRUST ISN'T EASY, BUT IT'S BEEN TWO MONTHS," Sans grumbled.

"Would you trust after only two months?"

"SHE'S A PET, SO YES." He did trust Kari. Not as much as he trusted Mutt, but more than anyone else. Even Muffet, who he rather liked.

"Except she's really not." Mutt mused, "She's even less inclined than I am to it. She's willful, stubborn, and prideful to an extent. She has no training, and doesn't want it either."

Sans sighed. "SHE'S PERFECT."

"She fits well." Mutt agreed, "Wonder if she'll stay tonight..."

"THAT'D BE GREAT! WE COULD ALL SHARE A ROOM!"

"I don't know if she'd go for it permanently, but we can be sure she knows it's an option whenever she likes."

"YES!" Sans grinned. He paused. "WHAT IF ANOTHER HUMAN FALLS?"

"What of it?"

"SHE MIGHT WANT TO BE WITH THEM."

"If you want to extend the offer again it is your right."

"NO!"

"I wouldn't worry about it unless it happens."

Sans hummed. "SHE BETTER STAY WITH US."

"Honestly get up there...it'll probably be us that better stick with her. She knows the things up there like we know down here."

"TRUE. SHE'S A MASTERFUL RESOURCE."

"And she's not as familiar with this."

"SHE'S VERY LUCKY I HAD MERCY ON HER."

"She is, so are we."

"HA! NO, WE MAKE OUR OWN LUCK."

>>  
Kari woke up slowly. She was warm and comfortable, and didn't particularly feel like moving. It wasn't like she hadn't slept on top of Mutt before. Hm. There was a second body. She shifted a bit to look up. Oh. Sans had joined them. That was surprising. And nice. She let out a low hum of contentment. Mutt shuddered, this was familiar...all too familiar. He burrowed his head down, at least it gave him the ability to do this again.

Kari looked at Mutt affectionately. “Morning.”

"Too early for it yet." He murmured. Sans rumbled and pulled them both closer to him. Kari chuckled softly. Mutt rumbled back. Welp if it was going to be like this then... he leaned over and kissed the other skeleton and petting the humans hair.

“Again?” Kari grumbled quietly. Sans purred with pleasure and quickly pressed into the kiss as Kari patiently waited for them to stop. Mutt tilted his head, again? He ended with a tiny nip to the others jaw and ducked back down to nuzzle at her shoulder. Sans hummed contentedly nipping softly at Mutt’s neck. Kari smiled at Mutt and snuggled closer to the skeletons. Mutt purred quietly pressing his face into the crook of Kari's neck in turn. Kari clung to Mutt as Sans nuzzled her and pressed kisses to her hair. Mutt hummed low watching from the corner of a socket. Sans grinned at his pets held in his arms. He loved holding them both. But the day had to start. He slipped out of bed and padded away.

Mutt pouted nuzzling into her neck again.

Kari snickered. “Enjoying yourself?”

Mutt sighed, "Was better without the threat of getting up looming."

“We could stay here.”

Mutt hummed, "Mmm tempting offer." Kari curled up to him. She wouldn’t stay forever. She had to move after a while. But it was still very comfortable in the bed with him. Mutt grinned nipping at her gently, "Any requests lady of the house?"

“Hm.” Kari considered, and licked her lips a little nervously. “A kiss?”

"A most humble request." He replied with a wink leaning over to brush against her lips. Huh. That was very different. Kari curled shyly into Mutt. Mutt purred nipping gently at her bottom lip. She was so gentle about things.

Kari pulled back giggling a little. “You can’t help biting everything can you?”

“WHAT’S HE BITING?” Sans lifted the blanket to look underneath curiously.

Mutt stuck out his tongue, "I'd hardly call it a bite."

“MUTT! WHAT DID YOU BITE?” Kari giggled again.

"I was just filling a request." He grinned. Sans quickly crawled into the bed, checking Kari for any claiming marks. Which was a lot harder than it should be with the blanket covering all of them and falling in his face.

Mutt snorted, "Nothing like that."

“THEN WHAT?”

“Just...a kiss.” Kari smiled shyly at Sans. He stared at her before swooping down to kiss her too. Kari eeped in surprise. Mutt snickered watching them. Skeleton kisses were very different. She thought she would basically be kissing teeth, but it wasn’t quite like that. Either way she ended up flushed and curled up. Sans grinned triumphantly. Mutt eyed the two of them with a grin. Shame she wasn't just a little more open with things just yet that was a very pleasant view. Sans reached over to kiss Mutt, nipping playfully. Mutt rumbled at the attention shuddering at the sharp sensation from the other's teeth.

Kari laughed and slipped out of the bed. “Have fun there.” She skipped off.

“I WAS GOING TO KEEP HER LONGER,” Sans grumbled.

"We'll get there. It's all still new for her." Mutt replied stretching.

Sans grinned. “TRUE.” He paused. “WHAT IF ANOTHER HUMAN FALLS?” What if Kari wanted another human more than them?

"Then we deal with it if it happens. How long has it been since the last one?" Mutt questioned.

Sans tilted his head considering. “BEFORE KARI? AT LEAST FIVE YEARS.” Maybe longer. He’d been rather occupied at the time with survival, not listening to the news about humans.

"So what makes you think it will be something to worry over?"

“TRUE!” Sans perked up. “SHE’LL FALL IN LOVE WITH US BEFORE WE REACH THE SURFACE.”

Mutt grinned, "With you working on it? Done deal."

Sans preened. “MWEHEHE! I AM INCREDIBLY SEXY!”

Mutt pulled him down to nip at his neck, "No argument from me."

Sans rumbled in pleasure. “COME. I MADE BREAKFAST.”

Mutt sighed but got up following his brother.

>>  
Kari woke up slowly. She was warm and comfortable, and didn't particularly feel like moving. It wasn't like she hadn't slept on top of Mutt before. Hm. There was a second body. She shifted a bit to look up. Oh. Sans had joined them. That was surprising. And nice. She let out a low hum of contentment. Mutt purred, at least this particular part of the time loop was pleasant. He nuzzled into the warmth pulling the blanket up over all of them. Sans purred back, nuzzling Kari as he looked sleepily at Mutt. She slept with them. She woke up, and she was okay. She didn’t run. He had her in reach. Kari smiled softly, perfectly content to be squished under the skeletons. Mutt was content to stay happily cocooned in the warmth and dark for now. He would eventually have to figure out why this was what happened over and over. But for now he didn't mind sticking right where he was. 

Eventually Kari squirmed. She was not meant to stay still for long periods of time. As nice as waking up like this was, being awake meant moving. Sans shifted with her easily. He clambered out of the bed and headed down. 

“Did I disturb him?” Kari whispered.

"Hm? Nah, he's an early riser." Mutt shifted to lay across her, head on her chest. He couldn't feel the buzz of her soul like he would be able to in Sans, but he could hear her heartbeat...what a strange thing.

“Good.” She looked down at Mutt. “Enjoying yourself?”

Mutt nodded tapping in time with her heartbeat, "Could dance to that."

“To what?” Kari realized after a moment what he was probably hearing and flushed. He liked her heartbeat that much?

"It's different. Souls don't make a real sound, just this kinda buzzing feel to it."

“Really?” She shifted around, curling so she was sideways and could put her ear on Mutt. She listened. “That actually feels nice.”

Mutt grinned, "Everyone’s just a tiny bit different. M'lord is actually a bit softer just slightly."

“Huh. I’ll have to check that out.”

“CHECK WHAT OUT?” Sans paused taking them in. Mutt and Kari looked so intimately curled around each other. It was funny how that felt a little sour. He’d wanted them to like each other.

Mutt made a come over motion, "Comparing functions." 

Sans clambered over curiously. Kari smiled sweetly at Sans and moved to lay her head on his chest. Sans’ breath stuttered a little looking down at her. She was so soft. Mutt watched quietly, amused with how easily the tiny human won over his brother. And she did it just a little differently every time. Sans carefully nuzzled Kari, afraid the moment would break if he moved too fast. Kari hummed happily. Mutt shifted so he could listen with her, Sans wasn't often still enough to do this while awake. Sans purred at having both of his loved ones (he loved her? maybe?) curled around him.

Kari grinned. "Sounds like a cat."

Mutt chuckled, "Demanding like one too." Sans growled at Mutt and snapped at him. Kari pulled back laughing. Mutt grinned ducking the snap, "She sounds totally different." Sans brightened up and quickly pressed his skull onto Kari. She chuckled as he listened eagerly to her heartbeat. 

"OH WOW. IT'S LIKE MUSIC!"

"You guys really think that?"

Mutt blinked at her, "You don't?"

Kari shrugged. "Can't listen to my own heartbeat, and all the humans have a heartbeat on the surface. So it's not special to me." Mutt thought it over for a moment and went back to tapping out a mimic of her heartbeat on the wall, with the free hand he added a different measure to compliment. He nodded to himself, it definitely worked for music. Kari smiled softly. "So it does work." Sans nuzzled Kari happily. She had soft breasts. Mutt smiled at them, he should do more for them than he did really. They deserved time.

"Alright, I'm getting up. We can snuggle more later." Kari pressed an almost kiss to Sans' cheek and another to Mutt's before slipping out of the room. Sans stared goofily after her.

"She really is something isn't she." Mutt grinned.

"YEAH. SOMETHING," Sans repeated. Mutt snorted rolling across the other and standing to follow her out. Sans watched Mutt in surprise. He willingly got up?

Mutt looked down at his brother, "Staying where you're at?"

Sans got up and quickly ran after him. "NO!"

Mutt snickered waving, "Meet you downstairs." He popped out of the room.

Sans raced down the stairs after Mutt. Mutt sat cross legged on the couch fiddling with a with an old computer, whether he was rebuilding or harvesting parts remained to be seen yet. Maybe he wasn't even sure yet himself. 

"Took you long enough."

“HEY!” Sans pouted.

>>  
Kari woke up slowly. She was warm and comfortable, and didn't particularly feel like moving. It wasn't like she hadn't slept on top of Mutt before. Hm. There was a second body. She shifted a bit to look up. Oh. Sans had joined them. That was surprising. And nice. She let out a low hum of contentment. 

Mutt hummed, alright so not quite two hours tops until things rolled back to morning. He cracked an eye open looking at the other two in the bed...hmmm. Kari blinked slowly at him. Mutt smiled pressing a finger across his teeth in a nonverbal shush. He winked gently wiggling out from Sans grip and popping out of the room. He'd had days (nevermind they didn't remember exactly it seemed there was some subconscious realization there for Kari at least). Let them have a few moments to themselves. He could make breakfast this time.

Kari shifted to snuggle into Sans. “STOP MOVING,” Sans mumbled. He drew her close, breathing in Mutt’s-not Mutt’s. That wasn’t Mutt. He opened his eyes and almost melted as he realized Kari was cuddling him. Kari looked up at Sans. She was in his bed. She had to actually suppress a giggle at that. It was funny. The first time in his bed. 

“Good morning.”

“GOOD MORNING,” Sans repeated. His eyelights danced and sparkled.

“Nice way to wake up.”

“IT IS.” Sans nuzzled Kari contentedly. She let out a soft sigh. It was so nice and warm in the blankets with him. Sans nipped at her neck causing Kari to startle slightly before turning and nipping back at him. Sans purred. Staying in bed a little longer than usual was worth having Kari to himself like this. Kari pressed into Sans, silently noting to herself how somehow he was more solid than Mutt. Nowhere near as tall, but he was wider and his bones were thicker to press against.

They stayed there for a while before Sans decided that Kari seemed content to stay with him. He leaned down to brush a skeleton kiss to her cheek. Kari lightly touched where he’d kissed. It was so light, and oddly didn’t feel like just pressing teeth on her. Sans watched her, and pressed in to give another kiss. Kari smiled shyly at him and gave him a kiss of her own on the cheek before slipping out of bed.

“We should make sure Mutt’s not setting anything on fire.”

“HE WOULDN’T,” Sans grumbled, but followed her out.

Kari slipped into the kitchen with all the grace of a satisfied cat. Sans followed behind her, clearly watching her bum from behind.

Mutt turned to look at her from his position flipping pancakes, "Have a good time?"

“You could say that.” Sans puffed up proudly taking a seat beside her.

Mutt raised a brow finishing up and bringing plates over to the table, "Do I need to run a load of wash?" He teased.

Kari flushed deeply. In contrast her voice was perfectly calm. “Not like that.”

“MWE!” Sans glared at Mutt. This was her first time in their room. She’d never come back if she thought they would do that immediately!

Mutt shook his head, "I jest. M'lord always has been the one with better manners."

“I did notice that,” Kari teased. Sans settled a little at that. 

“TWO PANCAKES FOR ME.” He needed to watch how much he took in. Mutt nodded fixing a plate and sliding it over. He gave Kari a questioning glance.

“Three for me.” Never turn down food when it’s available. He nodded making up a plate for her and handing it over. Seemed like this morning was going to be fine, maybe the looping would break again? He tapped out the beat from before idly as he let his thoughts wander.

“Catchy,” Kari said. “Gonna play the drums?”

Mutt blinked looking down at his hands, "Never tried."

“We should get you something then.”

“WE CAN CHECK THE DUMPS LATER,” Sans added. He looked proudly at his brother.

Mutt tilted his head gently shrinking into the fluff of his jacket, "Maybe..." Oh. That was adorable. Kari didn’t know Mutt could be cute like that. She grinned widely at him as she ate.

“AFTER TRAINING.” Mutt nodded, exceedingly happy that his magical control extended his ability to keep himself from flushing.

Sans ate quickly and picked up his dishes to dump in the sink. Kari hummed around the last bit of pancake she had watching Sans wash. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen either of you train.”

"I'm sure M'lord wouldn't mind you watching him show off a bit."

“MWEHEHE! I WILL ASTOUND YOU!”

"You're always astounding." Sans preened as Kari smirked and finished off her plate. She walked over to clean her own. A flush of déjà vu ran through her. This was hardly her first time doing this. It just felt so...domestic. She stared at her hands. Was this really her life?

Mutt loomed over her, "Did it insult you or something?"

Kari startled out of her thoughts. "What?"

"You're looking at the plate like it holds untold mysteries."

"Oh." Kari shook her head. "Nah, just thinking." She went back to scrubbing it.

"WHAT ABOUT?"

"...things." Mutt hummed lightly, he was curious about what type of things, but if he pushed...no it was better he didn't. Sans waited, but Kari didn't expand any. He huffed. She should trust them to talk at this point! He wished she was more open. Oh well. It made the moments she did give them precious. He knew she wouldn't be giving them to anyone else either. Unless maybe another human showed up.

Dishes cleaned Sans turned around. "COME ON. I HAVE A CLEARING I TRAIN IN. MUTT YOU TOO." Mutt sighed muttering under his breath he picked Kari up gently tossing her over a shoulder.

Kari squeaked and wriggled. "Hey!" Sans marched ahead proudly. Mutt just grinned patting the back of a leg as he followed after his brother.


	24. Sparring Practice

Sans stepped out proudly into a clearing and looked back at Mutt and Kari, who at this point had given up struggling and was just laying there, pulling faces at the monsters who looked at their group. Mutt reached over pulling her off his shoulder and plopping her into the snow.

"Really? Just dropping me off in the snow? I feel so unloved," Kari joked dramatically. She laid out in the snow.

Mutt chuckled flopping over next to her, "You're right, how could I be so cold?" He propped himself on an arm giving her a puppy face, "Could the mistress find it in herself to forgive me?" Kari's lips twitched in amusement. 

"MUTT! COME ON." Mutt grinned, sent one more wink in her direction, and popped up across the clearing a few feet away from Sans. Welp, time to actually move.

Sans grinned, rolled his bones to loosen them, and set loose. Sharpened bones rained from the sky around them, even as Sans charged towards his brother. Kari stared. That was far more than she'd expected to see. Aw fuck, he really was gonna make him work for it today wasn't he? Mutt twisted, barely evading some of the shower of projectiles. Sans was on him in seconds, damn that last boost gave him some speed.

Sans smirked as he turned his brother blue, grabbing him and throwing him into another set of bones. Mutt ground his teeth hitting the summoned bones, he glared at the snow pushing the magic off sending his own wave of projectiles in his brothers direction. Sans danced around the bones twisting in and out around them as he sent a wave of alternating blue and white bones back.

Kari tilted her head, intrigued by the color change.

Mutt found this only slightly annoying. Damn the difference in him and Sans' fighting styles. Fighting his brother was like trying to grab ice, chances to get a good hold were fleeting. He ducked around the edge of a wave of bones launching himself closer to the shorter skeleton.

Sans twisted, quickly trying to get out of the way of his brother's longer reach as he chucked bones to throw Mutt off course. Mutt dodged almost hitting the ground, not quite going down though. But the time it took to correct it gave Sans the advantage to slip away again, just as he'd planned. Sans laughed delightedly as he summoned his hammer and rushed in to hit Mutt.

Mutt was at a size disadvantage. He braced the blow against one of the shattered bone attacks he favored, both arms needed to keep from getting slammed. He lashed out an improvised kick at the shorter. Sans caught the blow and went back a bit before twisting around and diving in again. He loved fighting with Mutt!

Mutt grinned, the tingling in his arms from the block still fading. He summoned a mini set of sharp bones much akin to small knives, if he could make it past the hammer swing he could manage...but how to do that without shattering something...

Kari watched them go back and forth. It was fast enough to be hard to track. Her mind kept going back to seeing one of the traps and telling Mutt how she thought it had beauty. This was just like that. Devastating, and entrancingly beautiful.

In the meantime Mutt hit the snow sliding out of the hammer trajectory. He sent an elbow toward Sans' leg, but his aim was off with slush flying between both their movements. Sans scowled and sent weaving bones up through the ground tearing over the slush. He couldn’t get a safe shot on Mutt like this.

Mutt rolled, taking a hit to the shoulder in the process of Sans' bones. Welp that smarted a bit. He shook the melting snow off himself as best he could and lunged again. Sans stepped back practically falling in his attempts to gain space.

Mutt caught him around the waist, "Someone's having fun watching."

Sans rumbled happily. “GOOD.” He summoned a series of bones to strike Mutt from above. Mutt shoved backward tossing his own set of conjured weaponry towards Sans, he did get hit on the leg as he fled though, damned long limbs. Sans grumbled as he got one partly lodged in his rib cage. That was irritating. He reached and yanked it out before throwing Mutt’s bone back at his brother enhanced with his own magic.

Mutt yanked the bone that had hit his leg free using it to deflect the hijacked weapon, "Show off."

“MWEHEHE!” Sans glanced over at Kari to see her watching them both, eyes alight with excitement. He immediately summoned one of his more complex patterns for her to watch. Mutt cursed popping out of the way, usually he avoided void walking in training, but right after a leg hit, no thanks.

He touched down behind Sans, "Don't let your guard down."

Sans spun and snarled wildly at Mutt. “NEVER.” It was easy to not be guarded against Mutt unfortunately. No matter how good he was against others he was always a touch slower to register Mutt as a threat.

Mutt quickly snapped a fluttering hand to his brother's neck, "Good, somebody's gotta keep me in line." Sans froze. That was a win for his brother. Mutt wouldn’t follow through but that was a kill stroke. He pouted at his brother.

Mutt shrugged glancing to Kari briefly, "Happens sometimes."

Kari grinned and applauded. “That was great!” Sans preened. Mutt shook himself to dislodge any remaining slush from his clothing. Most of it was melted by now, but a decent amount had gotten into his sweater in the sliding. Kari shivered a little as she stood back up. That had been a great show, and it hadn't lasted long. But sitting on the ground in the snow had chilled her. Sans quickly caught onto that and hurried over. 

"KARI?"

Mutt shrugged off the jacket handing it over, "Not our brightest move leaving you out here in the cold wet."

Kari shrugged. "It's fine." She snuggled into his jacket.

"HM. WE'LL HAVE TO SET SOMETHING UP FOR THE NEXT TIME KARI COMES TO WATCH."

Mutt nodded, "Home or rounds?"

"YOU SHOULD TAKE HER HOME. I NEED TO TRAIN MORE."

"I can walk home by myself," Kari pointed out.

"You're shivering."

"Just a little."

"NO ARGUMENTS. MUTT GOES WITH YOU." Kari stared at Sans defiantly. Mutt looked between the two and took a step back. He blinked wondering if things were about to go sour.

Sans growled. "LET US TAKE CARE OF YOU."

"I don't need to be cared for."

"BUT YOU'RE OURS." Kari flinched.

Mutt whistled, "I think...this is one of those moments when we all need to fuck off for a bit. Remember what we said after the spike." Sans stayed silent for a moment before nodding and stepping back. Kari took a deep breath and paced back and forth.

"We're worried. We don't experience the cold like you do...it’s different and we don't know the limits. All we see is something that makes you look vulnerable." Mutt tried carefully.

Kari nodded. "Right. And vulnerable doesn't tend to go well here." She sighed.

"I'VE NEVER SEEN YOU FIGHT EITHER," Sans pointed out.

"That's because I don't fight," Kari replied easily. Sans stared at Kari for a moment before looking at Mutt. Did he know that? Mutt shrugged, he had known she was a slippery thing. But not fighting...at all? Even stripes knew how to throw a decent beginner attack.

"YOU CAN'T FIGHT?"

Kari hummed. "Mutt said intent matters a lot more here. That you can get hurt by someone just meaning to hurt you."

"THAT'S RIGHT."

"It's not like that with humans. It's about how much force is behind the hit we take. And someone like me? This size? I can't deliver enough damage to deter anyone. So I got really good at escaping instead." And this was who they had been letting wander around on their own. It was a really good thing she was so tricky to pin down. Sans had to immediately fight the urge to drag Kari home and lock her up where she'd be safe. She wouldn't appreciate that and would just break out and run. Which would only put her in more danger. But he and Mutt couldn't escort her everywhere either.

Mutt scrubbed a hand over his face, "Luck. If that doesn't prove luck I don't know what does."

"It helps people don't want to upset you two," Kari pointed out.

Sans huffed. "LET MUTT ESCORT YOU BACK TO GET DRY."

Kari looked at the two. They looked seriously shaken. She hadn't thought it was that big a deal. "Um, okay."

Mutt nodded scooping her up. He looked over to his brother, "We'll be around."

Sans nodded. "I'LL BE HERE." He had some serious energy to burn off, anger and worry fighting inside him.


	25. Rebargaining

Mutt sighed and popped them back to the house. Kari looked at Mutt carefully. "You alright?"

Mutt nodded flopping onto the couch nuzzling at her hair, "You...are infuriating on the mental scale. How have you managed to get by so far?"

"By running really fast."

Mutt laughed, "I am building you a phone."

"Promises promises!" Kari teased. She nuzzled him softly.

Mutt purred running hands down her sides, "I don't make those lightly. Too many ways to fuck up before you finish them."

"Me neither. I live by my word."

Mutt hummed, "That's reassuring. I'm building you a phone, it'll have my number, Sans', Muffet’s...keep it on you."

"I still need to find a way to earn gold so I don't have to ransack the couch for change when I go to see her."

"Ask Sans." He shrugged, "And you didn't answer."

"I promise to keep the phone on me when it's not charging."

Mutt purred louder, "Thank you."

Kari grinned. "Alright, I need to go get changed." She headed up the stairs to the boys' room to raid their closet for something to wear. Mutt let her go watching as she trailed up the stairs. It was a shame his jacket was so big on her, blocked the view. Kari came back down wearing a pair of Sans' shorts and Mutt's tank top. "That's better."

Mutt looked up from playing around on his phone, "Sure is."

She threw him his coat and came over to flop on him. "I still need to go down to the dump."

"I'll take ya, need to slog around some myself." He shifted to nuzzle at her. Kari grinned brightly at him and returned the nuzzles. She considered giving him a kiss, but...something stopped her. Mutt grinned one hand gripping his jacket, the other curling around her leg, "Hold tight." Kari quickly braced herself and grabbed on. Mutt popped them out to the edge of the dump landing with a frankly gross squelching noise.

"Okay, that sounds gross." Kari closed her eyes. "Do I want to know what we landed in?"

Mutt shrugged, "Just the general dump swamp."

“Good” Kari set to working herself free of Mutt’s hold.

Mutt grinned setting her on her feet and pulling out one of the tubes from a jacket pocket, "Stay dry."

“What are you going to be doing?” Kari asked curiously.

Mutt shrugged, "Little of this little of that. I'll be in hearing distance, always."

“Alright.” Kari set off to where the river ran. She had gotten a bit further last time. It was starting to get harder to climb. Today though she was going to find an exit. Mutt watched her as she went, while uncapping the strong smelling substance and smearing a tiny bit under his cracked socket. This place reeked horribly. He set about looking to see if anything worthwhile had managed to turn up.

Kari carefully climbed deeper and deeper into the dump, heading up the river. She paused as she hit the part where it began to narrow into stone cavern. “Alright, let’s see where you lead.”

“Where what leads?” Kari startled at the voice and looked around. There was nothing there except for an odd monster plushie. Which then moved. Huh, it seemed monsters could look like objects. “Hello. I am Temmie. A pleasure to meet you.”

“Pleasure to meet you too. Do you need something?”

“Oh! I was just wondering why you’re exploring up this cavern. That leads away from the dump. I’m sure it would be easier to find whatever you’re looking for down there.”

"Maybe," Kari replied noncommittally. Temmie stared at Kari and tilted their head.

"Maybe I can help you find what you're looking for!"

Kari shook her head. "No, I'm fine looking on my own." The plushie stepped towards Kari. She took a quick light step back. Temmie stared at her, puzzlement written all over their face. Mutt sat up on one of the piles watching quietly, what under the Stars was this exchange?

“Is something wrong?” Temmie asked.

“No,” Kari denied swiftly. She paused, tilting her head at a noise. She looked around before spotting Mutt and waving at him. Temmie glanced over. As soon as the plushie’s gaze shifted Kari moved. In a few bounds she was down and heading towards him.

Mutt was at her side catching her round the middle in a blink, "You hurt?"

"Nah. I'm not that easily hurt." Kari grinned easily. "You call me over for a reason?" She prayed he'd play along.

Mutt looked from her to the small monster and back to her nuzzling at her jaw, "Just thinkin' it's nice you found a friend. Got most of what I'd need to do that phone. Lots of stuff with decent wires down here."

"Nice!" Kari cheered. She looked back at the plushie. "I think they're a kid." Except they unnerved her.

"I don't know, something doesn't seem...right." Mutt murmured.

Kari laughed shaking her head. “Come on, let’s go let you tinker.” They could talk when the other monster wasn’t there.

Mutt snorted, "As the lady says." He popped them back to just outside the house.

Kari stepped lightly away from Mutt and looked at him. "Did you actually get enough?"

Mutt blinked, "Yeah had most of what I'd need already, just a few things to strip out and fix up. What was that whole thing about?"

"I have no idea. Temmie wanted to help me find whatever it was I was looking for. I wasn't too interested in allowing a monster I didn't know help me look for a way to the surface. They didn't offer a reason to want to help either."

"Good intuition, I doubt that would have gone well." 

Mutt kicked off his boots, "Anything wet off."

"You're just really invested in seeing me naked, aren't you?" Kari joked. She didn't strip.

Mutt raised a brow, "I'm invested in the house not smelling, if I get a nice view...bonus."

Kari sighed and slowly took off her shorts. "I really need to find new underwear."

"You know you could just ask right? We can't fix a problem you don't say anything about."

Kari looked blankly at Mutt. "Yeah, but then I'd owe you."

Mutt snorted, "No, it comes with being in your position. We want to care for you, you don't owe us anything but mutual respect."

"That doesn't work."

"Do you think it doesn't with me and M'lord?"

"You fight for him and work. He organizes things. That's a lot more complex bargaining than whatever we have."

Mutt backed through the doorway gently pulling her inside, "And you really think that we still care about only that bargain?"

"Yes?" Why would that change?

Mutt hummed sitting on the floor, "And if I told you that I didn't care for any of that bargain nonsense?"

"Then I would ask what you want." Kari sat in his lap comfortably.

Mutt snorted again, "Maybe I just want to care about you without a preamble."

"You do know I'm not a pet or doll to keep right?"

"Did I say I wanted one?"

"I'm just saying, I'm not really obedient or someone to mold or keep. You wouldn't get anything back."

"Good thing half of that is more my speed than yours." He teased playing with a loose lock of hair. 

"Really though Teeny. That's how it's usually done here 'owning' something you want. So it's hard to think of it in a different light quickly. But that's the goal now, working toward you wanting us without that bargain."

Kari looked at Mutt warily. "I won't pay more than the bargain agreed to. Even if you give me extra."

Mutt shrugged tugging on her hair, "You've heard my piece. Let's get you cleaned up."

Kari walked up to the bathroom and started the shower, still uneasy about what had happened. She didn't believe in things being freely given. And it unsettled her for Mutt to suggest he wanted her to believe that. She glanced behind her at him.

Mutt laid out a towel, "I'll grab something warm for when you get out. Need anything else I'll be downstairs working on the phone."

"Alright." Kari stepped in and carefully scrubbed herself. She thought over what Mutt had said. She supposed she should have expected it. She had been here far longer than she'd been anywhere for years. Of course she'd encounter things that she wasn't used to. So, she'd just have to adapt again. Find the rhythm and follow it. Mutt ducked in laying out a sweater and an old pair of sweats that Sans often refused to use. He grabbed the discarded clothing and went to toss it in the wash with his own top to get rid of the smell, stupid long sleeves dipping into the marsh. Kari stepped out and put on the new clothes before quietly padding downstairs to where Mutt was. Kari settled onto a seat and watched Mutt.

Mutt glanced up at her as she entered the room, "Have a nice shower?" He had neglected to grab another top not wanting to shock any of the system pieces with sweater static. And quite frankly...he was being lazy about the stairs again.

"Yeah, it was nice." Kari smiled at Mutt. She wondered if it'd be okay to ask him... "What do pets do?"

"Whatever they're told to. I've seen them used for everything." He tucked a wire into place hands never faltering, "I've seen some that are well cared for over the years. But it's more often not the case."

Mutt paused and looked up at her, "You aren't a pet."

Kari fingered her collar. "I don't exactly pay rent."

"Would you change that if you could?"

"Yes."

"And if you were told to just sit there and take it when someone touched you?"

"I'd kill them."

"You aren't a pet, there's no way you could be. You'd force yourself to fall first." He set down the pieces in his hands, "Neither of us want that. If we did we could have easily trained one, or bought one off that monster selling them instead of dusting them." No what attracted him was that spirit she had. Not the idea of breaking it, but cultivating it.

"Fall?"

"Monsters can just...dust. They loose so much hope that they just stop. It's called falling."

"Oh." Kari nodded her head. Well, he was right she'd die before letting herself be used like that. "So...you really just want to say you know a human?"

"I just want to express my appreciation for said human."

"Pretty sure you've already been doing that." She walked over and hugged him, clinging to his back.

Mutt tilted his head back, "Caught onto that did you?"

"The pancakes might have given that away."

"Pancakes that exciting?" He chuckled.

"Maybe," Kari joked.

"Well damn, maybe I should break out the waffle iron." He snorted going back to working on the tiny wires in front of him. Kari hummed. It was cool watching him work on something so delicate. Mutt hummed back absentmindedly as he tucked things into the proper places. Once he pulled out the lighter using it to burn off a small section of coating on a wire using the edge of a claw peel away the softened plastic, it smelled causing him to twitch a small sneer.

Sans entered the room exhausted from pushing himself in training and then checking on the canine unit. "DOGGO PICKED ANOTHER FIGHT WITH THE LAPINS," Sans grumbled.

"Did you lop anything off the idiot?" Mutt shot back carefully twisting a wire.

"MUTT," Sans grumbled.

Kari chuckled as Sans sat down. "FINALLY MAKING HER PHONE?"

"Figured she really needs it, 'specially if I'm gonna talk to Muff about her taking up an odd job over there."

"WHY?"

"I'd like to earn money for getting things," Kari replied.

Sans opened his mouth to explain she didn't need to and stopped. "FINE."

Mutt glanced back over his shoulder at his brother shooting him a grin. "Almost done with this part and then I can set up the software transfer for overnight."

"GOOD."

"It's as cool as watching you make stuff," Kari commented. Sans perked up and preened.

Mutt grinned sliding the back onto the phone. "Did you have one of these before you ended up here?"

"Nope! What would I do with one?"

Mutt shrugged, "Wouldn't know, never been up there."

"Didn't have anyone to call, and I never planned where I was heading or what I was doing, so there was no use for one for me."

Sans tilted his head. "NO ONE?"

"Nope!"

Mutt tilted his head, he hadn't thought she did, she was so shy of contact. "Do now." He replied sticking the newly fashioned phone on a charger.

"Seems so."

"I'LL SEND YOU ALL THE MEMES!"

Mutt snickered under his breath, "So Doggo showed his lack of intellect, anything else new?"

"A MESSAGE FROM THE QUEEN." Sans sneered.

Mutt tilted his head eyes sharp, "That being?"

"TO MAKE SURE I AM NOT REVOLTING AGAINST HER OF COURSE." Sans laughed.

Mutt shook his head, as if Sans would be stupid enough to outright admit if he was. "So what'd you do?"

"I KILLED THE MESSENGER OF COURSE."

Of course he did. "Did you burn off after that?" Mutt questioned.

"DIDN'T NEED TO."

Mutt raised a brow, "If you say so." Sans grinned, rather proud at himself for not losing control after a kill. Mutt hummed and turned back to the phone when it let out a little digital beeping noise. He pulled out his own and hooked it up using it as some sort of remote clicking away at the screen. Eventually he set them both aside letting it do its thing.

"So I take it we're not worried about the queen?" Kari asked.

Sans scoffed.

"She would be a formidable opponent...if she thought there was a problem."

"And killing the messenger doesn't count as a problem?"

Mutt raised a brow, "Allow me to introduce you to my brother Teeny." He leaned over to stage whisper, "He's kinda known for his temper."

Sans sniffed. "I WAS PERFECTLY UNDER CONTROL."

"Uh huh," Kari said. Mutt laughed under his breath. Sans scowled and chucked a bone at Kari. She easily ducked to the side and put a hand to her heart. "Why Sans! That hurt! That truly hurt! And here I thought you cared about me!" Mutt shook his head and flattened himself to the floor so he wasn't directly in the line of fire.

“NEVER! I’M NOT SOFT!”

“Alas, my heart is broken.”

That actually alarmed Sans. “IT IS?” He rushed over to check on her. Didn’t humans need their hearts? Kari startled a little at being rushed but smiled at Sans hovering and trying to check if she was hurt. Mutt snickered from his spot on the floor, completely sure she was jesting.

“There’s only one cure you know,” Kari stared solemnly.

“WHAT?”

“A kiss.”

Mutt poked at him with a foot, "Gotta fix it bro." Okay, they were teasing him. But Sans didn’t mind if it meant he got to give Kari a kiss. He leaned over and gave her a soft one on the lips. Mutt watched them from his spot on the floor. The difference in a few days was astounding. Kari blushed and pulled back. Wow. That was...wow.

Sans looked at her. “HEALED? OR DO YOU NEED ANOTHER KISS?”

“I’m good!”

Mutt grinned, "Long as she's all fixed up."

“SHOULD WE CHECK?”

“Nope, no! No need! I am fine!” She could feel her ears burning. It was just a little kiss. Why was she so flustered?

Mutt looked her over, "All humans turn red like that?"

“Defense camouflage.”

“DOESN’T LOOK LIKE A GOOD DEFENSE.” Sans was pretty sure she was blushing. Ha! She couldn’t handle the attention of the Malevolent Sans! Mutt's grin inched wider, that was damned cute.

Kari shrugged. “Yeah but...”

Mutt patted her leg, "It's alright, we all get a little hot under the collar when he goes off."

“What?” Sans preened as Kari wished to melt through the floor.

Mutt nodded, "You wouldn't believe some of the stuff you hear around Muff's when it hits close to closing and less than sober is the trend."

“MUTT’S DRUNKEN BEHAVIOUR IS LESS THAN CHARMING,” Sans sniffed.

"So says you." Mutt replied.

“YOU SMACKED MUFFET’S BUM,” Sans pointed out.

"And I'm still here aren't I?"

“I HAD TO PAY 300 GOLD!”

"Now, that was a most unfortunate part of the venture."

“MWE!” Sans hit Mutt.

Mutt just gave his brother a heated look.

Sans paused. “YOU’LL HAVE TO EXCUSE US KARI,” he stated. “IT SEEMS MUTT NEEDS SOME DISCIPLINE.” He hooked his fingers in Mutt’s collar and dragged him up the stairs.

“And I’ll be down here, trying to block it out,” Kari muttered quietly. She grinned. At least she would be getting a job. And understood a bit more about her position here. Even if it was still very confusing.


	26. Building Gifts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kari and Sans start work on something for Mutt

Sans didn't normally leave Mutt at home alone. He had never decided to go on a trip off with just Kari before either, telling Mutt to stay and make sure that the gyftrot herds weren't getting too close to the librarby. Then he had whisked her off for the day. Mutt was sceptical of the intention behind Sans' directive. What did his brother really care if a building went under? No, he was just taking time alone with the human...which was fine. He was too cautious about his approach to it though, Mutt wouldn't have stopped them...probably wouldn't have gone to hang around with Muffet and use her to help spy either.

The pair actually were talking about Mutt.

"He's gonna love this."

"ONLY IF WE GET ENOUGH OF THE PARTS."

"I know. Hey! I think I found something!"

"WHAT IDIOTIC HUMAN WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE THROWN THAT OUT?"

"Hm. Are we able to make a replacement skin? The plastic can be pretty delicate."

"SOME WEBBING COULD WORK AS REPLACEMENT."

"Where would we get that from?"

Sans grinned. "I CAN PERSUADE MUFFET TO HELP US."

"You have way more influence than anyone should," Kari teased.

"MWEHEHE!" Together the pair worked on digging out the various destroyed pieces of a drum set and packing them in their inventories. Kari still wasn't used to how things could vanish inside. Sans found it adorable to watch her as she tucked the item away in utter fascination.

>>>  
Muffet tilted her head as the tiny spider plucked strings attached to her fingers. Mutt slumped into the seat, "Man they're gonna smell all funky." 

"So have a bath ready for them when they get back. They'll appreciate it after traveling anyway." 

"But then M'lord will think I followed them." 

Muffet gave him the most bland stare someone with so many eyes could, "Pappy Dear, I know you're a tad slow anymore...but you are." 

"Yeah be he doesn't know that."

>>>  
Kari squeaked as she slipped and Sans reached out grabbing her. "CAREFUL."

"Oh man, now I've got grey water in my shoes. Gross." She wrinkled her nose.

"KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED FOR NEW SHOES THEN."

"Are shoes even salvageable in this stuff?"

"OF COURSE!"

Kari had to believe him. She was used to scavenging, but mostly she had to take things that were already workable. The monsters elevated scavenging to a whole new level with how they remade things and took parts to create entirely new creations. A couple hours later Kari and Sans did finally come back to the house. Kari was more than happy to throw off her shoes and socks as soon as they got inside. They didn't smell so bad half frozen from the trek, but cold and wet? She felt miserable.

"MUTT!" Sans barked. "GET A BATH RUNNING!"

Mutt shoo'd them towards the bathroom still covered in steam, "Already done M'lord."

Sans frowned. "THE LIBRARBY STILL STANDS?" This was shockingly efficient. Kari slipped inside and locked the door behind her. Sans grumbled a little but didn't force it. She was still barely letting him give her small kisses.

"Last I checked it was. A half hour seems too short to be completely torn down in." Sans eyed Mutt before deciding that he was going to be checking with Muffet if he actually did patrols. This bath was awfully convenient. Mutt gave him an innocent look back, he had kind of paid attention to the goings on by following the energies around him.

Kari popped back out of the bath and grinned at the pair. "That was great. Thanks Mutt." She vanished down the hall to her bedroom and Sans entered the bathroom. "SPOILED PET," he grumbled. The smile on his face told another story. Mutt hummed and moved to the kitchen, he'd start food while they were otherwise entertaining themselves.

Sans came down after a good half hour scrubbing his bones and entered the kitchen. "KARI WRECKED HER SHOES. NOW'S A GOOD TIME TO GET HER A SOLID PAIR OF BOOTS."

"Shop or custom?" Mutt questioned working a knife through some veggies. Either way was fine, it would only make a difference which location he went to.

"CUSTOM OF COURSE." She was his. His pets had the best.

Mutt nodded, "I can go after I'm done here."

"GOOD." And that would give them time to work on Mutt's drums together.

Kari slipped quietly into the room and settled in near the pair. "So what's for dinner?"

Mutt paused and leaned over to nuzzle at the both of them, "Nothing too fancy."

"Spaghetti? Reheated meatloaf?"

Mutt scrunched his face at reheated. "Nah just some little packet things, figured everyone could pick what they want in theirs. Takes a bit in the oven but apparently I have errands to do anyway."

"Oh, nice." Sans nodded and left to take a quick trip down to the librarby. Things were in fact like Mutt had promised, so he supposed his brother hadn't been too careless.

Mutt rolled his eyes at the double checking but didn't say anything about it. "Wanna start on yours?" He asked Kari as he finished up.

"I still gotta let it cool down a bit. Flesh not bone remember?"

"Well yeah but it'll cool down faster if you open it." He teased poking at her side.

Kari squeaked and stuck her tongue out at him. She inched over a little and opened her hot pocket. "Oh, that smells way too good."

"MUTT IS A DECENT ENOUGH COOK," Sans agreed as he came back in. He took his own and munched on it cheerfully.

Mutt shrugged, "Not as good as either of you."

"You must really love spaghetti then," Kari joked.

"AS IF ANYONE COULD MATCH MY SKILL."

Mutt winked at her, "Like not having to do it myself."

Kari laughed. "LAZYBONES," Sans scoffed.

"Yep." Mutt replied leaning on his shorter sibling.

"GET OFF ME!"

Mutt hummed, "What? Teeny did ya hear somethin?"

Kari smirked. "No. Did you?" Sans growled and grabbed Mutt to shove him across the kitchen. Mutt chuckled and glommed onto the smaller.

"NO!" Sans wrestled with his brother to pin him down. Mutt let himself slump limp conveniently once he had managed to maneuver partly onto Sans. "MUTT!" Curse his brother and his abuse of gravity magic!

Mutt hummed, "I swear I keep hearing something."

"Like what?" Kari asked teasingly.

"I AM GOING TO BREAK YOUR SPINE IF YOU DON'T LET ME UP!"

"Not sure, but it sounds irate."

Sans jabbed his claws into Mutt's ribs.

"Maybe someone left the tv on?"

Mutt squirmed biting back a noise, "Maaaaybe."

"Well I certainly don't know what you're talking about." Kari winked at Mutt as she ate. Sans smirked at the squirming and dug his claws in again. He bet he could make his brother squirm enough to roll off him. Mutt hissed under his breath and retaliated by rubbing into the body under him, if he was going to play that way... Nope! That was not working. He glared at Mutt again and resumed shoving at his brother. Mutt chuckled at the glare and rolled with the push flopping over.

"UGH. I SHOULD JUST LAY YOU OUT LIKE A RUG." Kari smirked at the pair as Sans placed his feet on top of Mutt and continued eating.

Mutt grinned, "Sure, could put me in front of a fireplace and get cozy."

Sans pretended he wasn't blushing as Kari almost choked on her hot pocket. "Getting heated over there."

Mutt purred, "Oh I'm always a little hot under the collar."

"YOU ARE AN EMBARRASSMENT."

"You're turning colors."

"Is he?" Kari leaned forward to see the purple on Sans. He scowled at her. "HE'S LYING."

"No, I think I see something," she teased. Mutt just made himself comfortable and grinned a bit smugly.

"THERE'S NOTHING TO SEE!"

"Really? I spot something right..." Kari leaned forward and nuzzled Sans before jumping back out of the way. Sans flushed.

Mutt's grin just ticked a bit wider, "At least I'm not seeing things."

Sans stomped on Mutt and marched off to his workshop grumbling about ungrateful brats. Kari laughed. "Think he got you there."

Mutt hummed and poked at the spot he'd been stepped on, "Yeah, worth."

"You just don't have any self preservation," Kari teased. "Lucky you've got Sans looking out for you."

"Very true." He grinned popping over to her, "Gonna help him out?"

"If he'll let me." Kari wasn't too sure about how she felt about poking Sans after he'd retreated.

"Just go slow, listen to what he's saying."

"Is that what you do after he storms off?"

"He only storms off when he's overwhelmed. Being calm and listening to orders sets him back to rights, he feels better when he has the upperhand."

"Should you be telling me this? Isn't that, uh, something dangerous for someone to know?" Kari rubbed her arm unsure if she was phrasing what she was feeling right.

"If I thought you were gonna hurt him on purpose I wouldn't."

Kari grinned and shook her head. "Alright."

>>>  
Sans’ attention had snapped to the small human the instant she’d slipped quietly into his workshop. He didn’t look up from where he was going over the drum barrels they’d recovered to check what might need to be chucked entirely and what they could fix up. He had better things to do than cater to the needs of his rather flighty pet. No matter how valuable she was.

Her quiet presence at the door and submissive air was rather soothing. Sans knew he didn’t need to be worked up. Mutt and Kari had just been teasing. It still felt good to have the reminder that he was in fact in control.

“COME HOLD THIS.” Kari started for a moment before crossing further into Sans’ space at his command. She fit beneath his arms so comfortably. She was so small. Only a couple inches shorter than him, but she somehow seemed even smaller. He watched her grab onto the barrel where he directed and shifted her grip slightly before letting her go. He kept a close eye on her as he redid the metal bands to keep the barrel secured.

Holding onto the drum was boring. The only thing really keeping Kari alert was Sans. He was impossible to ignore, even when he wasn’t focused on her. Perhaps that made him even harder to ignore. His intensity had increased as he dove into his work. She couldn’t look away at all as he worked over the drum despite how dull just holding it was. At least it gave her a good excuse to oggle.

“LET GO.” Sans nudged Kari into stepping back and started checking his work over. “GOOD. PASS ME THE NEXT ONE.” Kari looked around for a bit before grabbing a random one to pass over. Not the one he’d planned on checking next, but good enough. He analyzed it. “HM, NEED TO CARVE A FILLER PIECE.”

“Will the crack effect the sound?”

“NOT IF I PATCH IT RIGHT.” He had some glue that he could use to fill in the crack and then a patch he could carve to make it look nice on the outside as well. He busied his hands occasionally asking Kari for this or that.

Watching Sans work was hypnotic. She had to double check a few times on what he was asking for as she wasn’t used to crafting the way he was. It was soothing just following under him though, especially with the intense focus he had. She could just feel it pull her under like a warm blanket muffling out the rest of the world. Kari tried to stay on guard, but she found herself just submitting to his orders.

Sans calmed as he crafted. Kari’s obedience was a salve he’d needed. He so often doubted how they fit together, but here in this moment he could see it. She was wild and flighty, but she was his. He grinned as he finished off the drum piece and Kari let him move her into place to start on the next.  
>>>

It was a very content Sans that left his workshop looking very buffed up, while Kari wandered out with a more dazed look on her face. Mutt raised a brow at the two of them blowing smoke rings from his dog treat, "Have fun?"

Sans sniffed and marched off. Kari stared at Mutt. "He is so intense. And most of that wasn't even focused on me."

Mutt chuckled, "Yeah, that's one way to put it."

"And he kept touching me. And moving me." And Kari hadn't been able to muster up any response to him, just letting Sans direct her in helping him work.

"He does stuff like that. Nothing hurt ya right?"

"Nope. It was...fine." Just the oddest experience of her life. Especially how peaceful it was despite the intensity.

"You good then?" Mutt grinned, seems Sans had broken some little bug off in her with whatever he'd done.

"Completely fine. Just really wasn't expecting that."

"Welp, can't say that's out of the ordinary."

Kari scowled and stuck her tongue out at Mutt. "I didn't see you offering yourself up." Not that Sans would have accepted since it was a surprise for Mutt they were working on.

"I do it all the time. Welcome to the team."

That shouldn't have made her feel so warm. "Right." She tugged a little on her collar.

Mutt peered at her, "That bugging you?"

"A little." She should take it off.

"You'll get used to it sooner or later if you leave it on."

Kari bit her lip. "I don't think it'll take that long to find a way out."

"Maybe not. Just be careful tugging at it like that..." he tucked a finger into the collar to press to her skin, "Don't want to go irritating your delicate parts." Kari's eyes blew wide at Mutt touching her neck. She should have been afraid. The calm that had filled the workshop was still there though and she just stared up at him. He watched as her eyes dilated, interesting. He drew the finger up, lightly tracing it along her neck and jaw, how long until she'd back out of the situation?

Kari broke away after a few seconds and backed off, lightly touching where his hand had just been. "I..."

"Too much?"

Definitely too much. She just didn't know how to say that. So Kari dove for a distraction instead. "Feel like watching tv?" She bounced past him over to the couch and settled down. "Napstaton might have something good on."

Mutt tilted his head watching how she moved around. "Sure." He curled into the opposite corner of the couch tossing her the remote. Kari relaxed and flicked on the tv. It was horrible and gruesome, but hey! Ready made distraction from dealing with feelings! Mutt leaned on the back of the couch drifting in and out. Kari slowly drifted closer to him. Not too close of course, but still within reach. Mutt peeped a socket open for a half second as she shifted and moved to sprawl over the couch, laying across her lap like a lazy hound dog.

Kari grinned down at him. "Oof, what a big mutt."

"That's what she said." He murmured.

"Aren't dogs supposed to stay off the furniture?"

"I'll have you know I am perfectly groomed thank you very much."

"Right." Kari nodded sagely. "So you aren't carrying crumbs from lunch in your coat."

Mutt shrugged, "Honestly it wouldn't surprise me."

“Very well groomed,” Kari teased. Mutt nipped at her playfully in retaliation. Kari shoved him off her onto the floor with a smirk. Mutt whined giving her puppy eyes from the floor. Kari grinned and curled up on the couch. Part of her considered jumping him to wrestle but the other part still wasn’t quite relaxed enough. Mutt poked her and stretched out across the floor, content to laze where he was. Kari reached out and poked him back. Mutt whined wiggling away, and poking back with a toe. Kari chuckled and poked back with her own foot on his leg.

"You do realize....this means war!" Mutt quipped poking back.

"Oh no whatever will I do," Kari deadpanned. She grinned and kept up poking his leg and foot while trying to shift away without actually moving from his own poking.

Mutt snickered, "Surrender?"

"I accept your surrender."

"That is not what I meant." He grinned at her. "But I'll roll with it." Kari laughed and dropped off the couch onto him. Mutt hummed and nuzzled into her hair.

"I should get you a wig."

"Takes the fun out of it."

"You don't want to show off your own gorgeous locks to the world? I bet Sans would love it."

"No I would totally be down for that, but it's a different thing than...this." Kari shrugged and stayed where she was on top of him. Mutt purred playing with her hair lazily. "I could always steal yours." He teased tugging on a small piece.

"Oh no, whatever will I do. I don't think I could pull off the bald look." Kari snickered.

"You could pull off whatever look you want to, but..." he hummed quietly looking her over, "super cute in something delicate."

“Something delicate? Like what?”

He tilted his head, "Who knows whatever it's called, kinda sheer. Maybe some lace?"

Kari snickered. “You would enjoy seeing me in that wouldn’t you.”

Mutt grinned, "Enjoy seeing you at all, some cute getup ain't needed."

“Flatterer.” Kari didn’t hit him or move away though. She was far too comfortable. Mutt purred, popping them back onto the couch.

Kari blinked. “We were just beside the couch.”

Mutt nodded. "Now we're not."

Kari snorted with laughter. “Right. And you couldn’t just stand up and lay down again of course.”

Mutt scrunched his face, "That takes work."

“Teleporting is so much easier,” Kari teased.

"It is," he replied with a nod.

Kari snickered and laid back down. “At least I have this very comfy pillow.”

"Can't be nearly as good as my awesome blanket." he teased back.

“No way,” Kari denied with a joke.

"Totally a yes. It's a little on the small side but it's the softest thing ever. Perfect for snuggling."

“You don’t snuggle blankets goof,” Kari joked.

Mutt scoffed, "You clearly need some help with bed etiquette."

"Is that you volunteering?

"Wouldn't be the worst job I've ever taken on."

“Educate me then mister.”

"First off, this whole blankets aren't for snuggling thing is shit." He laughed lightly cuddling her.

“Clearly I’ve been doing it wrong,” Kari joked cuddling him back.

"Apparently."

“And I’m guessing that you don’t beat up your pillow either.”

"Mmmm maybe. Depends on what it does." He chuckled.

"What pillows are you using?"

Mutt shrugged, "Oh you know, the ones here and there."

Kari snickered. "So how do you make your pillows comfy then?"

"Just deal?" he questioned.

Kari shrugged. "I'm pretty restless when laying down."

"Seem pretty restless up and moving too," He teased.

"Moving is good!"

"Moving takes energy."

Kari grinned. "You're just lazy."

"Maybe." He agreed readily.

"You got a better excuse?"

"Not at all." He chuckled nuzzling into her hair again. Kari rolled off him finally and got up. Mutt pouted but watched her movement.

"I'm gonna go walk the town." Maybe she'd stop down by the librarby and see if she could figure out how many kids were actually there.

"Stay safe." Mutt replied, inwardly debating if he should track her in person or not.

Kari grinned mischievously at him and headed out.


	27. Mutt's Drums

Bria01/20/2020  
Putting Mutt's drums together had taken far longer than either Sans or Claire had expected. While repairing the rims and securing the drum barrels had been easy enough to figure out, the skins had been a lot harder. It turned out that drum skins were complicated, as the first things they tried to replace them all broke. Examining the broken drum skins revealed that they were thicker than expected and layered together.

Kari had dug through her memories of drums and brought up the fact that drums had originally used skins from animals to create the tops of drums. That wasn't something they could get underground, as all the animals were magical and their skins would turn to dust. Kari and Sans had spent a lot more time working in the dump together, Kari finding herself actually putting off her time spent looking for a way out to search for pieces for the drums.

Eventually a cannibalized armchair, a taxidermy deer that Kari was refusing to question too closely, and sections from leather clothes that were stained and torn but still in large enough pieces were used to patch the drum skins.

The pair were very proud to set up Mutt's drums in the living room for the tall skeleton to encounter when he came home, the smaller drums even set up on stands so Mutt could reach them instead of having to pick them up off the ground. The large drums all sat firmly on the ground. The drum set definitely didn't look like anything that would be found on the surface. Neither Kari nor Sans actually knew how to put a drum set together after all. They were rather proud of their work though, Sans having even talked Kari through how he had picked the wood for making Mutt's drumsticks.

It was awhile before he came back from Muffet's, something about the piping and he wasn't a damned plumber...but it wasn't that hard to fix in the long run. He stopped to shuck off his boots by the door in hopes that it would appease his brother for the night that he wasn't tracking anything through the house. He paused at the new addition to the room tilting his skull to inspect.

Kari slipped into the room and grinned. "Hey. Like the drums?"

Mutt blinked, looking from her to the drums, "So...when did you guys do this?"

"Whenever we were in the workshop."

Sans entered the room. "AH, YOU'RE HERE. GOOD." Sans threw the drumsticks at his head.

Mutt moved catching them, luckily not with his face. "You two...how?" He nudged at one with a toe, "You both know I have no clue how to actually work these?" Despite that he started tapping at different spots testing what sounds came from where.

"We didn't know how to build drums," Kari replied.

"IF YOU DON'T WANT THEM WE CAN SELL THEM," Sans sniffed.

Mutt snickered, "Nah, just gotta take some time to learn 'em." Kari leaned against the wall watching Mutt eagerly. Sans did the same, but pretended his own interest was simply in how well the drums worked and not if Mutt liked them. Mutt grinned at the cover up his brother was displaying and went back to methodically tapping at different places to see what sounds came from where. In reality he was a bit overwhelmed...when had they even had the idea? He resolved he'd be figuring this out pretty quick, how hard could it really be? He went over one of the larger drums again, watching his placement carefully, it would take awhile to get the sounds matched up to the spots...but he'd get there.

“That almost sounds like a heartbeat,” Kari commented absently.

“HEARTBEAT?”

Mutt paused looking between the two, "Yeah humans have all the squishy organs...kinda like soul buzz, but different."

Kari nodded. “Soul buzz is very different.”

Mutt shrugged, "Apples and oranges. Wanna let him listen?" Sans was immediately on top of Kari. She squeaked as he crouched down to listen to her chest.

“Not...not there,” Kari protested. Sans couldn’t hear her heartbeat through her boob. She guided him down to her lower ribs where he could actually listen. Sans listened curiously as the beat sounded. Mutt watched the interaction chuckling under his breath and moved on to the next drum testing the spaces around it. The pair stayed against the wall for a time, Kari clearly a little uncomfortable with the intimate touch and Sans utterly enthralled by the sound of Kari's life under his hands. Mutt's fiddling around on the drums was practically background to it.

Eventually Kari's patience for intimacy wore out and she started fidgeting. Sans pulled back and grinned at her. "MUTT SHOULD LEARN SOMETHING TO GO WITH YOUR HEARTBEAT."

"What?" Kari tugged on her hair. That seemed surprisingly intimate to suggest. Heartbeats were nothing special of course. Except it was down here, where she was the only one to have one.

Mutt chuckled easily tapping the familiar rhythm along toward the edge of one of the drums, "That's not a half bad idea M'lord."

Sans preened. "IT'S A GREAT IDEA."

"Drums aren't exactly music," Kari tried to counter.

"They can be, so can people." Mutt grinned still tapping the heartbeat rhythm with one hand.

Sans grinned and walked over to Mutt to watch his brother. "SO YOU COULD DO IT?"

Mutt nodded, "Just need a little time to learn the spots well enough. Give it a week, give or take a couple?"

"SOUNDS FINE." They would need to figure out where to actually store the drums though. Sans could perhaps push for having another room built, but he was already too close to his neighbors. Perhaps opening an attic floor? Mutt dropped down to tuck his arms around San's waist, purring. "YOU LUG. SATISFIED THAT EASILY HUH?"

"Was it easy then?" He had doubts about that. There had obviously been a decent amount of work put into getting the set together.

“WITH MY TALENT? NO QUESTION!” Sans deflected.

Mutt just grinned nuzzling his face into his brother's sternum, "Not at all." Sans grinned and tilted Mutt's face up for a kiss. Mutt happily basked in the attention purring increasing a bit.

Sans stepped back. “I WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU’VE MANAGED IN A WEEK,” he demanded. If Mutt didn’t show progress, Sans would have to discipline him.

Mutt nodded turning his gaze over to Kari, "You guys rock." He turned back to figuring out the drums, he was officially on a time crunch to get creative after all.

“And roll,” Kari joked.

Mutt grinned, "And you remind me why I love having you around."

“UGH.” Sans brushed himself off. “I’M GOING TO WORK.” Better than being caught in puns again. Mutt watched him march off before shooting a wink at Kari.

Kari laughed and settled down to watch Mutt mess around. “Alright drummer boy, show me your best.”

Mutt snickered, "Best ain't gonna be great just yet." He did trying finding some sort of tune though, it was interrupted often by him testing for better spots when he disliked something, like some odd recurring game of simon. Kari watched and listened, content to waste the time watching Mutt fiddle with the drums. It was almost like hanging with a friend. Giving this to Mutt had been a good idea. She didn't regret it.


	28. Intent

Kari had ended up falling asleep on the couch with the tv on. She startled as Sans entered the room, glanced at her, and headed right out. “Morning to you too,” Kari mumbled sleepily.

Mutt followed him down a few minutes later a little worse for wear. He leaned against the banister, "Didn't harp on you did he?"

Kari stared. “What happened to you?”

Mutt pouted, "Easier to list what didn't."

“You look rough.” Kari stood up and walked over to Mutt, but didn’t touch.

Mutt rolled a shoulder, "Probably do. Most of it'll clear up with food."

Kari shook her head and stepped back. “Alright.”

"Don't let it scare you." Mutt commented leaning a little heavier on the railing behind him.

“I’ve seen you beat him. I know you could escape if you wanted to.”

"You saw me get lucky cause you distracted him." Mutt grinned, "I haven't given you a proper thanks for that either."

Kari snorted. “And how was I distracting? I didn’t do anything.”

"You really sell yourself short Teeny." He replied patting her head, "You were there, all I did was say you were havin' fun."

Kari raised a brow. “That was enough, hm?” She smiled.

"Now imagine if you decided to get creative about things."

Kari snickered. “That would be fun.” But there’d be consequences. And Kari wasn’t so sure she was ready for the consequences.

"You tried messin with that yet?" He questioned motioning to the phones still sitting.

"I was actually gonna ask if it was ready."

"Should be by now." He pushed off the banister and slipped around her brushing just barest amount along the way. He fiddled with the phone for a second, "You remember where that aid kit is?"

"Yup!" Kari darted off and grabbed it before coming back. She dug out the ointment from last time. "Want me to apply it this time?"

Mutt raised a brow at her before grinning, "Oh sweet thing I don't think you're ready for how excited the thought just made me. Hand me the bandage roll." She rolled her eyes and passed it over. Mutt nodded taking the roll and popping it into her inventory. "Looks like things are working."

Kari blinked. "What."

Mutt blinked back, "What?"

Kari opened her phone and looked at it. She tapped the inventory taking out the bandage roll. "Oh. That is so cool. I didn't know phones could do that!"

Mutt snorted, "Yeah, they do that."

"Man, I should have gotten one years ago!"

Mutt shrugged, "Can't tell you if surface phones are the same, but you got this now." Kari pocketed the phone eagerly and hugged Mutt. Mutt shuddered hissing a breath out at her grabbing him, "Anytime."

"Whoops!" Kari pulled back. "Sorry, forgot about your...play time."

Mutt purred, "It's fine, no worse for wear."

"We should get you patched up."

"Maybe, requests?"

"For what? It's pretty straightforward. Just show me where you're hurt."

"Eat first, whatever stays we'll treat, most of this is barely scratches."

Kari tilted her head and nodded. "Yeah, that sounds smarter. Seriously, you monsters are dead lucky."

"That's a matter of opinion. I, for one, am exceedingly so."

Kari snorted. "Got lucky last night for sure."

"You would think so." He went back to pouting.

Kari looked at him. "I had the tv on all night. Are you telling me that was for nothing?"

Mutt tilted his head, "I wouldn't say nothing was plenty fun...but no. Denial seems to be a favorite."

"Poor baby." Kari grinned at Mutt, and got up to go raid the kitchen for breakfast.

Mutt followed along teasing, "And you patronize instead of helping, how rude."

"You'll just have to keep suffering!" Kari winked at him and dug out a couple of weird pieces of monster fruit she rather liked, tossing one to Mutt. They were a lot like plums, but for some reason had tops similar to a blueberry.

Mutt caught it, "I suppose so." 

He leaned against the counter, "So you don't fight at all? No basics?"

"Enough to get free and run." Kari shrugged and bit into it. These were quickly becoming her new favorite fruit.

Mutt nodded biting into his own fruit, "Alright, then that's next."

"What is?"

"Getting you able to properly defense. If you're planning on being out to work, you'll need to be able to hold your own long enough for aid."

Kari considered asking the price, but decided against it. She could see things Mutt might get out of it, and he'd confirmed he would do things even if she didn't pay. Which was odd, but hey. She would point out she'd said she wouldn't pay if he pressed. "After whatever scratches are left are taken care of."

Mutt grinned, "Yeah yeah, worrywart."

"That'd require me to be attached enough to worry," Kari pointed out.

"And yet you insist."

Kari finished her fruit. "Alright. We can skip then." She shrugged, ignoring the knot in her stomach.

Mutt rolled his eyes, "We'll do whichever makes you more comfortable."

Kari shrugged. "Doesn't matter."

"Then we can skip right into using that intent of yours."

She wasn’t quite sure what Mutt meant but nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

Mutt nodded, "Alright outside then."

Kari followed Mutt out to the yard. "Are we going to the same place as yesterday from the spar?"

"Can if that'd be comfortable for you."

She shrugged. "Following your lead on this. Like I said, I'm not a fighter."

"So you've said." Mutt grinned, "Come on, we'll hit the woods." He held out an arm to her. Kari stepped easily over to Mutt. It was almost familiar now. That wasn't a good thing, was it? That she trusted him to teleport her. Mutt wrapped the arm around her popping them off to the clearing. Kari quickly let go of Mutt, stepping back as if she could erase how comfortable she'd been with him through sheer speed.

Mutt let her go. "Ok, square up." Kari blinked, and shifted so she was ready to dodge and run. Mutt snickered, "No, you need to be able to actually stand your ground a bit. As ingenious as that is for moving, it won't get you far in a head on fight."

"Why would I be in a head on fight? Wouldn't that be a terrible position for me to be in?"

"It would be bad, but it happens. And if you're taking a job you'll need to be able to at least toss a decent punch."

Kari shifted uneasily. "Alright."

Mutt knelt down in front of her. "Leading foot here." he encouraged tapping the ground.

Kari stepped her right foot forward. "Okay."

"Not too far, just past the hip, and the other right here, toes and knees aligned. Try and keep your weight evenly distributed." This seemed more like being prepared to sprint forward than back like she usually was. Kari shifted her weight uneasily. "Tighten up, supposed to hurt more if you get hit with lax stance for fleshy things." Mutt grinned tapping at her stomach. "And don't flatten your feet completely in actual combat, good way to slow yourself down."

"Got it." Kari tried to tighten up her stomach. "This better?"

"That's good for a beginner. You ever actually hit anybody?"

"Yes."

Mutt grinned, "Good, show me." Kari braced herself and jabbed out quickly to hit his ribs. There was no malicious intent behind it, but it still dealt damage thanks to humans not requiring intent to hurt someone. Mutt nodded rocking with the hit, "Ok, now do it with meaning. Make it hurt...and put some actual weight behind it, body follows the arm." Kari nodded, and swung again. Still no malicious intent, but she hit harder with her body following through.

Mutt frowned. Still no actual force. "Come on Teeny you can do better than that." Kari gritted her teeth and hit him again, this time with the intent to make him feel. Except that's all the intent communicated. Ok so maybe a step in the right direction. He grabbed a hold of her arm popping them both to the outskirts of town, not many folks milling about. He marched her over to an icecap dropping her arm, "Can't handle me then try with this."

Kari startled at the sudden change in location and looked at the monster in surprise. "Try what?" Mutt sighed and tossed a bone at it, lacking the intent to do much of anything. The icecap startled at the attack facing them with a scowl. 

Mutt crouched down leaning in to talk to her, "Get it, before it gets you." He stood up and backed off a few paces. Seriously? Kari stared at the icecap, braced to move the instant it did something. The icecap looked between her and Mutt. Was it resigned to its fate? Who knows, its face didn't change from the grumpy sneer. Eventually it stepped closer to her and several hunks of ice erupted from the ground. Kari danced around the ice easily and looked to Mutt for a cue on what to do. Mutt just made a sweeping motion with a hand. 

The icecap paused. "The fuck you lookin' at him for? He sugar daddy you so bad you can't finish something?"

Kari looked at the icecap and shrugged. “Just not seeing the point in dealing with you. Not worth my time.” Well, if she was supposed to fight she might as well make a show of it. She lightly danced to the icecap’s side and kicked at him, intent to send him flying burning. The icecap tried to block her, but stumbled and tumbled back a good few feet. Whatever that weird thing the captain found was it sucked having to fight it, even without experience. Mutt shook his head, this girl was gonna get herself killed running around the underground. Kari watched the icecap, patiently waiting for it to be ready for her to hit it again.

The icecap got up looking between her and Mutt again, it wasn't leaving and it knew it. So it calmly strutted back over to Kari, "Real pieces of work the both of ya."

“Are we?” She punched at it.

It swiped back, "Really, you come out of nowhere and I just get the luck of the draw, you got some nerve."

Kari twisted and kicked at it again. “Consider it practice.”

"Yeah for you!" It stumbled back, and lunged at her again going for her face. If it couldn't get away at least it could try and do some damage. Kari jerked back hard and reacted on instinct hitting back as hard as she could. The icecap cried out a pained noise tumbling back. Kari quickly moved forward following up with a hard kick. He needed to leave. She wanted him gone. It stared at her for a split second sneering before it crumpled dust spiraling before settling down into a small pile.

Kari shrieked and leaped back. “What-he wasn’t that hurt! I didn’t see anything wrong!”

Mutt came over wiping any dust he saw off of her, "Told you, intent. Not about how much damage you see, it's how much you feel. It'll be a lot harder with a higher LV monster."

“I...I...” I killed him. The monster hadn’t done anything wrong, and she’d just... Kari rubbed her hands together. She could feel the dust on them.

She was a murderer.

Mutt snapped to bring her attention back, "Hey, you did good. Wanna go wash up?"

“Good? How was that good?” Kari stepped back digging her nails into her arms.

Mutt tilted his head, "You got it done, it ain't pretty...but it's how things go down here. If you want to be out doing things for yourself, you gotta be able to play by those rules."

“I don’t play by anyone’s rules.”

"Worst case you know how it feels now to get it done. Best case, you never have to do this again. But I can't let you go out there without knowing you're at least capable of holding someone off until me or Sans can get to you. And you just proved you can, now we just need to hope it doesn't come to that."

“Just because I can doesn’t mean I want to,” Kari muttered. She had made her peace with killing a while ago, or at least she’d thought so. She had never been desperate enough to attempt it, though she’d broken bones in the past while escaping. This was different.

"Nobody really does in the beginning." He shrugged, "I'm not going to make you do it again, you have the both of us backing you. Now, do you want to go wash up, or can you handle walking into Muffs and letting everyone know they can't touch you on your own merit?"

Kari grimaced, and forced the grimy feeling (she didn’t mean to) down. “Let’s go.”

Mutt stood back up, "Wanna walk it off?" How would LV spiking effect humans?

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

He nodded turning and heading for Muffet's, "It'll fade eventually, the shock."

“Good.” She still felt faintly sick, but she’d deal with that later. For now she’d go into Muffet’s and “prove” herself.

Mutt held the door open for Kari following behind her when she entered. Muffet stood up from where she had been leaned over one of the tables straightening a cloth, and scuttled over, "Oh dear what has he done now?"

Kari looked at Muffet and smiled faintly. "Hi Muffet."

The spider monster blinked a few eyes at her, whatever she saw had a displeased frown on her face. "Let's find you a seat Kari dear. Papyrus, get your bony ass backstage and be useful." Mutt made a face but hopped the bar easy enough. Muffet shooed Kari toward a booth. Kari took a seat and rubbed her hands together. Still dusty. She just had to get through this first. Then she could deal with things.

Muffet slid into the seat across from her, "Are you alright Dearie?"

"Of course!" Kari replied brightly. She rubbed her hands again. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Oh you just look a little haunted is all. And I don't believe I've seen you in here with dust before." She replied playing a staring game with a few of the spiderlings hanging around the edges of the table.

"It's still on me?" Kari scrubbed harder.

"Oh sweet thing, shall I send home some tea? It will help keep the nightmares at bay." She offered, "Honestly what in Asgore's beard has this coming up now?"

Kari shrugged. "They seemed to start worrying out of nowhere."

Muffet giggled, "Oh I don't think it's out of nowhere. I'm sure it's been brewing in those skulls for quite some time now. What has caused them to act on it is more the question."

"I did mention wanting to earn money. For some reason they considered that more dangerous than me wandering the dump alone."

"I doubt you've been too alone now have you?" She asked gently. "Now I assume you came here instead of going back home because he was going to ask me?"

Did Muffet really not know that Mutt and Sans let her go off on her own for hours? Well, she wasn't going to burst that bubble if monsters thinking the brothers were there kept her safe. "Probably."

"Would you be opposed to that? I can always use someone to make trips back and forth."

"Oh no! I'd love that!" Kari smiled at Muffet. "You'd be great to work with."

Muffet nodded giving Kari's hands a little pat, "Then you are welcome to come do whatever little errands you want."

"With a price of course."

"Oh?" Muffet smiled resting her chin on one set of interlaced fingers, "My aren't you a smart one."

Kari smiled back. "This is business. We are both professionals, are we not?"

"I knew there was a reason I liked you dearie, other than having the Mongrel on a leash so quickly." She laughed again, "Now what is it you had in mind?"

"I imagine ten gold for a trip to and from with safe delivery would be fair."

Muffet blinked all of her eyes, "Oh you sweet little thing, no wonder they've taken you in. How about we start with thirty as a flat rate and injury retention cane on a sliding scale depending on your needs?"

That was far better than she'd expected. Kari grinned. "That sounds perfect."

"Ah, before you make up your mind," Muffet grinned, "do keep in mind this is my business. It doesn't include Papyrus or Sans, or any other little friends you may decide to make along the way, yes?" She leaned forward, "Some of these places are not very nice, most of these people are worse than the places. And many of them do not want to give up what they promise. Are you still certain you are interested?"

Kari looked at Muffet. "I wouldn't dare to presume that you would let anyone else control your business. And I am sure I am interested." This was going to be the first job she'd ever had, actually. That was funny to think about.

Muffet sat up straight and primly nodded a small band of spiderlings gathered around one of Kari's hand, "You of course get your own small team to carry messages back and forth, help you through some places. You may call them what you wish. And I will allow you your own tab, and access to the main kitchen should you wish it."

Kari nodded, doing her best to not suspect that Muffet was setting a trap for her. This deal seemed very good. Was this what all jobs were like? She looked down at the spiderlings and petted them gently. "That will be great. Will they live with me, or will I pick them up from here?"

"Oh they will find places near the Captain's home. I doubt he would welcome them completely into his walls, Sans can be intensely territorial."

"I have noticed that," Kari joked. She touched her collar lightly.

Muffet smiled a little softer than normal, "They are treating you well right? I have not had any reports of injuries, but some are not visible to the eye."

Kari had to think about that one. They were so kind to her. She knew they were killers. Mutt literally just had her kill someone to prove she'd be safe when she worked. Yet she couldn't help thinking of the phone Mutt gave her, and the food, and how happy Sans had been to just snuggle with her in his bed. "I think...yeah, I'm treated well."

Muffet nodded, "Good, those boys need a bit of a feminine touch. I don't think they've ever had anyone in that house but themselves the poor dears."

Kari grinned. "Guess you could say I'm providing that."

Muffet smiled and sharpened her attention, "Pappy dear, do put anything you've stashed away back before I turn around." Mutt sighed and set the bottle of bbq sauce back on the counter with a small pout.

Kari snickered. "You've made him pay for that little collection of his right?"

"Oh he's had his uses over the years." Muffet waved it off with a single hand, "He's already pocketed another napkin he's not giving up."

"They are very nice napkins. You have excellent taste."

"Oh you flattering thing." Muffet smiled, "I suppose I should take my station back before your mangy thing misplaces anything more."

Kari chuckled. “Sounds good.” She looked at Mutt and waved. Mutt grinned and slid a glass down the bar with a flick of his wrist. 

Muffet made an indignant noise standing from the table, "I will make you clean if you so much as leave a water ring on my polish!"

Kari chuckled. For now the sick feeling had dissipated, happy to just relax and enjoy watching Mutt rile Muffet up.

Mutt over exaggerated his shudder at the idea of cleaning the place, "Aw Muff you wouldn't do that to a loyal customer." 

"You go right on ahead and test that belief you false prophet of funds." Kari snickered. Mutt hopped the bar again much to Muffet's displeasure, "There is a doorway!"

Kari stood up and walked over to Mutt. “I’ll come back tomorrow then?”

"Oh if you're feeling up to it that would be delightful. But if you're needing a little time don't you worry." Muffet waved a single hand, the rest busy collecting things.

“Alright. Thanks Muffet.”

Kari followed Mutt back home. Inside Sans was watching a new episode, completely enraptured by Napstaton’s latest musical hit. Kari looked at him, and realized she couldn’t do it. Sans looked so happy. And that mattered to her, even though it shouldn’t have. Sans killed. He wasn’t a good person. She could still feel the dust on her hand.

Kari broke off and ran to the bathroom. Sans sat up and watched her go before looking back at Mutt. “DID SHE GET SCARED AGAIN?”

Mutt shook his head, "Took her to prove she could handle herself...I don't think she'd ever felt dust before."

“OH.” Sans considered that looking up. He had truthfully been rather pleased when he managed a kill for the first time. Sans didn’t remember much of what it was like besides being excited he was getting to be more independent and able to help his brother more. Kari was rather soft though. If she had never killed before he doubted a celebration would be appropriate. “SHOULD WE LEAVE HER ALONE?” Sans liked privacy when he felt vulnerable. Mutt didn’t really count as intruding on his privacy of course.

"For now." Mutt responded slowly, "When she comes back out we can offer to include her...but if she needs space then she needs it."

Sans tilted his head. “ALRIGHT. AND TELL HER TO SLEEP WITH US TONIGHT.” It was always better to have someone there when a nightmare happened.

"Can try. She's probably less than thrilled with me though."

“WHY? YOU HELPED HER.”

"She doesn't seem to see it that way." Mutt shrugged, "She's gonna be workin for Muff now though, so she's got something to occupy her time than just rambling blind."

Sans turned that over in his thoughts and shook his head. “THAT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE. DO YOU THINK IT’S POSSIBLE THERE ARE MORE SOFT HUMANS LIKE HER?” How else would she react so strangely to such a simple thing?

"I don't know, I suppose it's possible...maybe she just slipped through the cracks up there? Shes good at doing it here..."

“THAT MAKES SENSE. SHE PROBABLY JUST AVOIDED IT UP THERE.” Sans nodded firmly.

"Hope she's not hurting herself scrubbing."

“WE’LL PATCH HER UP IF SHE DOES.”

Mutt nodded, "I'll check on her."

“GOOD.”


	29. After Effects

Upstairs Kari scrubbed. Every time she thought she’d gotten all of it she could feel the chalky softness again. It just wouldn’t leave.

Mutt knocked softly on the door, "You alright in there Teeny?"

“Yup. Just getting clean,” she lied. She didn’t want his comfort. She didn’t want to open the door.

She couldn’t want it.

Mutt sighed, "It fades, Sans wants to sleep together tonight...it might be for the best."

“He what?” She must have misheard.

"Just in our room Teeny, not like that. Nobody's asking for that."

Kari leaned against the door. “To...keep me safe?” She almost couldn’t believe she actually believed that might be why.

"Because nightmares are bound to happen, and it helps to have someone...usually." he responded, he would know.

The right answer was saying no. She didn’t want to depend on them. “...okay.”

"Ok, think you could stomach anything?"

Kari scratched lightly at her arm. “I’m fine.”

"We'll do light then." Probably breakfast foods...or soup. Something easier to break down, even if humans did it differently a large influx on an already unsteady core wasn't a good idea.

Kari sighed in frustration and finally opened the door. “I don’t need anything.”

"Skipping food isn't a smart idea Teeny. You'll fun yourself down."

“I can eat tomorrow.”

"If you're sure." He replied quietly stepping out of her way, "Feel up to hanging out, or do you want some time?"

She shrugged lightly. “I’ll probably just head to bed.”

"Want company?"

“...yeah.”

"I'll go grab the Tiny Tyrant, give you a chance to get settled some."

“Alright.”

Mutt nodded backing up to go grab his brother. Mutt leaned against the stairway banister, "Teeny wants to settle down early, you comin'?"

Sans twisted around. “WITH US?” He’d expected her to fight it, despite it being for her own good

"Yep, think it's bugging her more than she wants to let on."

“GOOD.” He stood up and rushed up the stairs, eager for time spent with his flighty human. Mutt shook his head following at a more sedate pace, checking the door on the way up.

Kari settled in the big bed. It felt alien, actually waiting for them to come to her. She squeezed her arms tightly. This was going to be okay. Even if they hurt her. She’d survived it before, she would again. Sans entered the room and looked at Kari. She looked rough, like she had done something and was expecting to get into trouble for it. Surprisingly sensibly he quietly stripped down to change before slipping in to hold her. She flinched for a moment at his touch before relaxing. Mutt came in a couple of minutes later, softly shutting the door in his wake. He looked at the two on the bed stripping off his jacket, she seemed calm. He paused at the foot of the bed a few seconds assessing where best to go.

“GET UP HERE.”

Mutt snorted, crawling up to them. He curled up wrapping an arm around the both of them.

Kari scratched at her arm, only for Sans to grab her hand and pull it away. “NONE OF THAT.”

Mutt watched her carefully and murmured, "Pain's a bandage not a heal."

Kari looked at her caught hand. They’d stopped her. Huh. She still felt the need to scratch, but...it was nice to not. “HIT MUTT IF YOU NEED TO.” Mutt nodded with a little grin.

“Is that what we’re doing? Piling on Mutt?” Kari joked weakly.

Mutt snickered, "More than welcome." No. She could hit too hard again. Kari shivered. Sans reached over and whacked Mut. Mutt snorted, "Listen Teeny, you hit me before you hit the cap. And that was coming off of a night with this one." He tapped at his brother. "And it'd take a lot more than a couple of hits to take me out. So if you need to do something to let it out, using me isn't gonna be the worst thing."

“I don’t need to let anything out.”

“LIAR,” Sans pointed out bluntly.

Mutt flicked his brother just between the sockets, "Inside voice, this is bed."

“Mwe!” Sans waved his arm at his brother. Kari let out a low chuckle and snuggled closer to them.

Mutt grinned moving to lay across the both of them.

Kari closed her eyes. “Everything’s fine.” If she said it often enough she’d believe it.

“It Will be. We’re Here,” Sans agreed. He petted her gently. Mutt made a small noise of assurance as well relaxing across them. Sans looked at Mutt. His brother was probably better at comforting than he was. At least Kari had agreed to sleep in their room. She was trying very hard to curl up and disappear in his grasp. “Do we sleep?” Sans mouthed to him. Mutt nodded patting his brother. He would be up for awhile himself, he could watch for signs she was being disrupted. Sans nodded and settled down.  
>>>>>>>>>

Kari shifted in her sleep. She twisted uncomfortably as she kicked out, lashing out at the demons haunting her.

Mutt sighed rolling to a free spot and pulling her over. He nuzzled behind her ear "Hey Teeny, you're gonna be alright."

Kari struggles slightly at the hold partly waking up. “Wha?”

"You're flipping 'round like somethin' ain't pleasant." He petted her hair loosening his grip some, "Figured I'd rescue you from whatever it was."

Kari shifted. “I killed you,” she muttered. She reached out and traced over his chest lightly as if expecting him to turn to dust.

Mutt blinked in the dark, "Aw Teeny I'm fine, and unless something's changed you don't want me done in yeah?"

Kari shifted uncomfortably. “I shouldn’t care.”

"Who says that?"

“Uh, me.” People wanted her to care so she’d be attached and easily controlled. Not caring meant being safe. Kari shifted closer to lay her head on Mutt. Sans noticed the retreating warmth and rolled towards them.

Mutt hummed playing with her hair, "And why's that?"

“So I’m free of course.” Kari yawned. She didn’t want to sleep after waking up from that nightmare.

Mutt tilted his head, "And you think being unattached is freeing? When everything is building up and there's nobody to help shoulder it?"

“Who would?”

“Me,” Sans grumbled. “Quiet down, I’m sleeping.”

Mutt rolled his eyes and plopped a pillow on Sans' head, "Both of us Teeny thing."

Muffled sounds escaped from under the pillow. Kari chuckled and shook her head. “It’s just a chain.”

"It's more a rope. There are times you're just holding on, times you climb, and times you slip and it burns your hands. But there's always someone to help pull you back up."

Sans pulled the pillow down. “You can be tied up in the morning,” he threw in tiredly.

Mutt shook his head, "That a promise?"

“I’m right here,” Kari pretended to complain.

“I’ll tie you up too,” Sans retorted.

Mutt grinned, "Bet silks would look really nice on you."

Kari huffed at the two. “You are completely incorrigible. Both of you.”

Sans grinned and petted Kari softly. “Good.” Mutt purposefully snuffled against her neck. If she was going to call him incorrigible he might as well prove it. Kari giggled at the snuggling and curled up. She wished she could just accept the warmth they were giving her. It still scared her though. Sans turned back to sleep. He had an early morning planned.

Mutt grinned, "Better?"

Kari hummed. “Yes...” She was surprised at that. Usually her nightmares chased her long into the day.

Mutt nodded with a yawn, "That's good."

“Sleep Mutt,” Sans ordered tiredly. Mutt shrugged, he could try but his mind was agitated. Kari closed her eyes and let their closeness soothe the pain from her dreams. Mutt snuggled into her letting his own thoughts wander. She reacted much closer to how he had after his first dust. But she was much more like Sans on the regular being so bold about things, what did that mean for his brother...and for her?

>>>>>  
Kari woke up early and immediately was flooded with guilt. What was she doing curling up to them? She was supposed to be putting distance between them, not letting this weakness spread. She couldn’t get attached. She would just hurt them, and herself. She was never good enough. Kari tugged on her hair as she tried to escape from the bed. Waking up at the movement Sans growled and pulled her closer to him. Mutt grumbled burrowing down into the pile of limbs.

Kari struggled more frantically. Sans looked at Kari. “WHY ARE YOU STRUGGLING?”

“I have places to be.”

"Like?" Mutt murmured from his position, "Muff ain't gonna send you out this early."

“DO YOU WANT TO JOIN ME EXERCISING?”

“Uh, I was hoping to get some work done in the dump looking for an exit actually.”

"Sure you're ok doing that after last time?"

Sans stilled. “WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME?”

“I can run. And it wasn’t that big of a deal. Just odd.”

"Someone spooked her, it was fine."

“FINE.”

“Exactly! And I have a phone now.” Sans ignored that to nuzzle Kari.

Mutt hummed, "You do have the phone...stay a little longer and I'll port you there so you don't have to dodge things?"

“Nah, the walk would be good!”

“IT IS LESS LAZY. I’LL GO WITH YOU.”

“That’s...really unnecessary.” Sans paused. He was starting to think she didn’t want him around.

Mutt tapped his fingers idly on her stomach, "This part of that 'I shouldn't care, thing?"

“What?” Had she mentioned that last night?

“IT IS DANGEROUS TO OPENLY CARE,” Sans pointed out. It was why Mutt worked as his pet. They wouldn’t buy the skeletons as being loyal to each other otherwise, or see it as a weakness to attack.

"This isn't open." Mutt murmured nuzzling into her hair.

“YES.” Sans kissed Mutt’s skull happily.

Kari shrugged. “I don’t plan to stay long term. It’s easier if I’m not attached.” Sans listened, but already began thinking on how to get her to change her mind.

Mutt purred at the attention and sighed, "Let him walk you Teeny, doesn't have to stay if you need some time."

She didn’t want to lie, and she couldn’t bring herself to shoot Sans down either. Was it too late for her? Either way she shrugged. “Not going to tie Mutt up? Thought you mentioned that last night.”

Sans purred at the thought. “YES.”

Mutt grinned, "Hey below the belt using that as a distraction."

“IT IS ISN’T IT?” Sans rumbled as he traced a hand down to Mutt’s pelvic bones.

“Maybe I want a show before I go.”

Sans snapped his attention to Kari, eyelights Sharp with hunger. “DO YOU?” She shivered under the intense gaze. Kari wasn’t afraid though. And maybe that scared her more. Mutt shuddered and watched her reactions. When would she try and slip out? 

"'M not opposed to some play." Sans chuckled darkly and climbed out of the bed to the closet. Kari took the chance to attempt to slip off. Mutt chuckled, well that hadn't taken long at all.

Sans turned around and frowned. “TSK.” Scared off again.

"Can't blame her." He chuckled.

“SHE WOULD HAVE LIKED IT.” He turned around holding the ropes.

Mutt shrugged, "When she's clear minded maybe."

“WELL. WE’LL JUST HAVE TO PRACTICE TO GIVE HER A GOOD SHOW WHEN SHE IS.”

"Yes M'lord."


	30. They Know Too Much

Kari scrambled easily through the dump. She was getting faster and faster at getting past the various traps, even when they were moved or changed. She reached the cavern wall the river cascaded down and started climbing up. Today she would get out. She wasn't leaving until she had success. The brothers were getting far too close to her for comfort.

"Hello again!" Kari looked down from her path to where the plushie monster was. No. She wasn't running from this. She had too much to do. And...Kari knew she could hurt them if she needed to, as much as she hated that knowledge. She turned back around and kept climbing.

"Where are you going?" Kari dragged herself up into the narrower portion of the river.

"Hello? What's up there?" She started walking down the damp tunnel. She didn't get far before she heard scrambling behind her and turned around to see the plushie following her. "Stop it. I'm not interested in your company."

"Even if I might know a way out?"

Kari stared suspiciously.

"It's why you're here, isn't it?"

"Everyone wants out."

"But you're not just anyone. You're a human." The plushie smiled.

Kari turned and bolted. She didn’t know where she was going, so she didn’t have a planned route. Harder to predict. She was not sticking around and letting that monster get her!

She didn’t stop even as it got harder to move through the water, appreciating the gaps that widened enough for her to not have to crouch. Being short definitely had advantages here. She didn’t stop until she smacked right into a giant pulsing wall of light.

“So you found it.”

Kari spun around and stared at Temmie.

“That’s the barrier. The reason everyone is stuck.” The plushy paused and tilted their head. “Well, not truly. Humans are the real reason.” Temmie giggled.

“Are you going to let me go?” Kari asked warily.

“Of course! After we talk.”

“About what?”

“Breaking the barrier! As you just saw, it doesn’t only stop monsters.”

Kari clenched her fist. “So?”

“My, you are proud. If Determination alone could let someone escape you certainly would.”

“So how does it work?” Kari asked sharply.

The plushy smiled sharply. "It took seven humans to make the barrier. It will take seven to break it."

Okay, she was done listening to this. Kari charged back down at the plushy. Temmie startled, crying out at the sudden charge. It gave Kari enough time to jump into the water and let it pull her downstream faster than she could run. Diving into a river filled with garbage was not something anyone would ever want to do. Kari had to struggle to the surface to breath and she was hit more than once by things that were in the water with her. She could pretty much guarantee she was going to get sick from this. She came out gasping and shivering on another pile of garbage, completely soaked and dirty. At least she'd left Temmie behind. Kari stood up and pulled out her phone.

From Kari  
To Sans  
going to be late getting back

From Sans  
To Kari  
YOU FOUND IT?

From Kari  
To Sans  
Yeea

Sans spun around in excitement and turned over to kiss Mutt. "Kari found the barrier!"

Mutt blinked startled by the sudden excitement, he rolled the information around in his head, "Step one I guess."

He hugged his brother tightly. "YES. WE SHOULD GET HER SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE."

"Seems like a good idea. You have something in mind?"

"HM." The first thing that occurred to him was buying her silks to tie her up from, but considering that she was still skittish about kisses that probably wouldn't go over well. She liked Napstaton. "WE SHOULD GET HER NAPSTATON'S NEW ALBUM!"

Mutt raised a brow, "You think so? She does watch the showings." He did have a sneaking suspicion that it wasn't really Naps that drew her in.

"DO YOU HAVE A BETTER IDEA?"

Mutt shook his head, "Nope."

"THEN WE'LL GET HER THE ALBUM!"

"Sure thing."

Sans lead the way out into town and to the store. "VERA! I KNOW YOU RECEIVE NAPSTATON'S STOCK EARLY."

The rabbit monster flinched. "What? I wouldn't skip the tolls!"

Mutt snorted shaking his head, this was gonna be interesting.

"AND I'LL CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT...AS LONG AS YOU GIVE ME ONE OF HIS ALBUMS FREE OF COST."

"Hey!"

Sans glowered. "ARE YOU TRYING TO STAND AGAINST ME?" She looked nervously at Mutt. Mutt just shrugged but gave the poor woman a wink. He could always come back later in the week himself.

"Alright." She sighed heavily and dug out a highly decorated artsy CD. Sans grinned wickedly, suppressing his inner squeal of delight. Napstaton was so cool! "THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE GUARDS." Sans indicated for Mutt to follow and walked back out. "SHE IS GOING TO LOVE THIS."

Sans worked on one of his trap designs while they waited for Kari to get home. He came up with something he thought might make her laugh again the way she had with the spark box he'd helped her build, a small figure that would sway back and forth when it heard music. Sans noticed when it got close to supper and rushed to get it prepared in time. Kari said she was going to be late, but that was no excuse for not eating supper on time!

He settled down to watch Napstaton after that. He even sang along for the first bit. But then it was getting later. And later. It was getting harder to ignore that she wasn't there. Sans leaned back on Mutt.

Mutt sighed, "You're worried, text her."

"SHE SAID SHE'D BE LATE."

"She did, you're still wondering though."

Sans huffed. "I DON'T NEED TO CARE THAT MUCH. AND YOU'RE HERE."

Mutt shrugged, "I'll do it then." Sans pouted, but watched Mutt expectantly. Mutt pulled the smaller onto his lap with one arm, the other pulled out his phone. "TELL HER SUPPER'S COLD." Mutt rolled his eyes Sans poked at Mutt. "I COOKED. YOU KNOW IT WAS DELICIOUS AND SHE MISSED OUT."

"It was, she did, give me a moment." Sans nodded and snuggled closer. It was nice to listen to Mutt's soul. Mutt grinned, hopefully she would.

From Kari  
To Mutt  
going to be late

From Mutt  
To Teeny Thing  
So I hear, you ok?

From Kari  
To Mutt  
will be

from Mutt  
To Teeny Thing  
Everything under control?

From Kari  
To Mutt  
yeah just shaking my tail loose

From Mutt  
To Teeny Thing  
Need help, know few things about chasing tail.

From Kari  
To Mutt  
that so? XD

From Mutt  
To Teeny Thing  
Fact. Can't chase yours without a local. ;)

From Kari  
To Mutt  
i think i hit hotland

From Mutt  
To Teeny Thing  
How far in?

From Kari  
To Mutt  
no idea  
but seems safe

From Mutt  
To Teeny Thing  
Not far then.

From Kari  
To Mutt  
guess so

From Mutt  
To Teeny Thing  
Sit tight

From Kari  
To Mutt  
unlikely XD

From Mutt  
To Teeny Thing  
What do you see?

From Kari  
To Mutt  
lots of lava  
rocks  
barb wire fencing  
a building

From Mutt  
To Teeny Thing  
For real... stay put.

From Kari  
To Mutt  
ok  
why?

From Mutt  
To Teeny Thing  
bark

From Mutt  
To Teeny Thing  
Seen anyone around?

From Kari  
To Mutt  
couple guards

From Mutt  
To Teeny Thing  
Armored?

From Kari  
To Mutt  
that's what made me guess they were guards

From Mutt  
To Teeny Thing  
Don't engage.

From Kari  
To Mutt  
yes i am totally the type to go pick a fight with warriors who could probably kill me in a flick

From Mutt  
To Teeny Thing  
You slept with us last night. Who knows what you're capable of.

From Kari  
To Mutt  
yes you’re both terrifying XD

From Mutt  
To Teeny Thing   
Fright's not the kind of shaking I'd leave you to.

"Hu, managed hotland on her own apparently."

"SHE WHAT? I THOUGHT SHE WAS INVESTIGATING THE BARRIER IN THE DUMP." That was odd.

"Said she was shaking a tail. Wonder if it was the same one from last time... wanna go pick her up?"

Sans straightened slowly. "YES."

"Barbed wire around a building. Could be a couple of places..."

"WHAT KIND OF MONSTERS HAS SHE SEEN?"

"Didn't say."

"THAT SHOULD HELP NARROW THE LOCATION. IF THERE ARE GUARDS IN ARMOR, FIRE MONSTERS, ABSTRACT MONSTERS, SCALED MONSTERS."

"One and Two."

"AT LEAST IT'S PAST THE LAB." That was the last thing they needed, Undyne getting interested in their human.

"Alright, let's go bring her home."

Kari shivered again from her spot behind a rock. She was mostly dry, save for her hair, but that didn’t help with the garbage smell from her dunk in the dump or the various bruises from her escape. Mutt dropped them both of them near the guard post letting go of his brother and taking a step back, falling into place at his heels. Sans marched forward surveying the area. It seemed empty, but Mutt wouldn’t have taken them here if Kari wasn’t nearby. So where were good hiding spots? Sans checked a couple spots before locating her behind a rock. “KARI.” She looked terrible.

She looked up at the greeting. “Oh, hey guys. Joining the party?”

Mutt just rolled his eyes reaching into a pocket and dabbing a bit of the thick sweet smell onto the end of her nose, "You can explain after washing up."

“Yeah...that was not pleasant.”

“SILENCE PET. WE WILL SPEAK WHEN HOME.”

Kari flinched, but looking at Sans she could only see concern as he took in her appearance. He stepped over and...picked her up. Which was not something she had known he could do. Mutt stepped forward laying a hand on Sans' shoulder to pop them home. Sans gently carried Kari up to the bathroom and stripped her. She protested a few times, but her struggles were surprisingly weak. He clucked over her unhappily. There were a lot of bruises.

Mutt eye'd some of the worse ones silently laying a candy from his pocket on the counter, "I'll get something more substantial heated up. Make sure waters warm."

“GOOD.” Sans looked at Kari worriedly.

“This isn’t necessary,” Kari grumbled.

Mutt tapped the crown of her head gently, "Nope, but it's what we do. Let him get this hair sorted out, I'll have something warm for you when you're finished."

Sans nodded, pushing Kari down to wet her hair. She really hated this. Weak and completely helpless. This was why she ran and hid. Yes the bath felt nice, and Sans was being very gentle washing her hair. She still felt stupid for not doing this on her own. Mutt backed out the door popping to the kitchen to get food ready. Kari sucked on the candy slowly feeling some of the aches fade as Sans washed her. When he was finally content she was clean enough she was carefully wrapped up and carried downstairs.

“I can walk you know.” Kari sighed as Sans put her in a chair and fussed at the blanket wrapped around her.

"Who wants to when they don't have to?" Mutt questioned setting food down for her.

“ME. I DON’T MAINTAIN THIS BODY BY BEING LAZY.” Kari sighed but tucked into the meal.

Mutt shook his head, "Yeah yeah we get it stacked." Sans snorted and settled down next to Kari watching her eat.

"I don't think watching me eat is that fascinating," Kari mumbled.

"More comforting. Food heals, restores."

Kari ducked down a little to continue eating. She could feel it working on her, soothing away the bruises and aches that she'd gotten from her escape. Sans relaxed slowly as he saw some of the tension in her frame ease away.

Some of the tension drained out of Mutt as well watching them. He slouched a little farther, "Wanna say what happened?"

Kari poked at the food slowly. "...you remember the little plushy?"

"The white thing?"

"Yup. Decided to tell me how it takes seven humans to break the barrier."

Sans growled. "THAT'S RIDICULOUS!" It couldn't be true! There had to be a way around that.

Mutt shrugged, "Told you part of the story was souls...never heard that specific number said though. Wonder if that has any merit."

"Well I wasn't sticking around to become one of them."

"Smart move."

"IT SEEMS WE HAVE SOMEONE WE NEED TO KILL MUTT," Sans growled. He did not like how interested in their human this monster was.

"Might want them to talk a little first." Mutt suggested, "Could be ramblings, but might have something useful rolling around."

"TRUE."

Kari shivered. "Not near me."

"No, not with you there."

“WE’LL GO LOOKING AFTER YOU’RE BETTER.”

"I'm probably not going to be very good company. That last run wiped me out pretty well," Kari said. She finished off the food and yawned.

"THAT'S FINE."

"Yeah, had a time gettin' where you were."

"That was the point."

"TO BE HARD FOR US TO FIND?"

"For anyone to find."

"You could have been a little more forthcoming when I offered to come get you." Mutt responded scooping her from the chair.

Kari flinched at the gentle hold. “Well...” She had nothing. Which was odd, she could always talk her way out of things.

"Just remember that for next time?"

“Uh, sure.”

“GOOD. AND REMEMBER HERE IS SAFE.”

Mutt nodded, "Bed? Or couch?"

“BED. WE ARE NOT SLOBS THAT DROP OFF WHEREVER WE HAPPEN TO BE.” Sans sniffed.

“I don’t know, I might be.” Mutt snickered but headed for the staircase. Sans followed them up to the bedroom before stopping outside it. He wouldn’t feel right sleeping after such a close call. He practically vibrated with the need to claim and protect. Mutt twisted his head to look at his brother, torn at what to do. Did he stay with Kari, or help the other settle? He weighed both options silently questioning.

“Something wrong?” Kari asked.

“NO. MUTT IS JUST UNSURE IF YOU’LL LET HIM SLEEP WITH YOU.” Sans stared steadily at Mutt.

“Mm. That’s fine.”

Mutt tilted his head, did Sans think he wasn't safe for her? Was he really that riled up? "She'll be safe either way...you don't need help with anything?"

Sans growled, his instincts battling inside him. "NEED TO CLAIM." Mutt glanced down at her and back to Sans, yeah that wasn't a great time to be in contact with someone who wouldn't understand. 

"Will it pass without action?"

“I KNOW HOW TO CHANNEL IT.” It would take all night and be unpleasant, but this wasn’t his first rodeo. What was claiming? Kari was dying to ask, but she had a feeling that wouldn’t be a good idea at the moment.

"Call if you need it. I'll keep watch here." Mutt nodded. He trusted Sans to be careful, and to know his limits.

"OF COURSE." Sans turned and walked away. First, he'd reinforce the house. Then he'd make sure his magic marked everything clearly. Sans still itched to claim Kari, to show why no one should dare to touch her, but he wouldn't. She wasn't ready for that.

Kari watched him leave tiredly. She could feel herself sinking towards sleep. It was so much easier to drift off here, feeling safe. Mutt brought her over to the bed curling around her, this felt odd being the room with her on his own. He petted over her hair, "Worried about you ya know?"

Kari nodded her head. "I'm starting to get that."

Mutt snorted, "Starting? What's a guy gotta do offer to bond?"

"What?" Kari stared at Mutt.

"What? Ah Stars Teeny it was poor humor. I know you wouldn't want that at this point."

At this point. Oh wow. They were very serious about her. Kari felt herself flush. "Right."

"Get some sleep, you'll feel better."

Kari nodded, and bit her lip. "I...care."

Mutt hummed nuzzling into her hair, "That's nice to know."

"I wasn't supposed to, but I did anyway. Foolish huh?" Kari yawned again and nuzzled Mutt back.

"Maybe, but who wants to play smart anyway?" Mutt dropped a kiss to the top of her head and tucked the blanket around her.

Kari chuckled as she dropped into sleep.

Mutt watched her as she fell out. Well this night certainly hadn't gone as he would have expected, but it wasn't exactly bad. He wondered how things would go in the morning when she wasn't as worn down, would she even remember this conversation? How was Sans doing in his venture? Should he go check? No, no Sans was an adult. He would let it be known if he needed help pinning the instincts down...right?


	31. Not So Brotherly Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is almost entirely smut! The following points are plot relevant, but otherwise feel free to skip:
> 
> Sans places a permanent claiming bite on Mutt's neck  
Kari lets Mutt and Sans closer to her and touch her more  
Sans tells Mutt he plans to bond with Mutt before Kari  
Sans and Mutt touch each other's souls

Sans growled. He'd already checked all the windows and doors. The lower level was practically pulsing with all his renewed territorial marks. But it wasn't enough. Mutt had carefully tucked the blanket tighter around Kari's sleeping form and popped out to the livingroom to avoid messing with the door and possibly waking her. He spotted his brother and dropped down to his knees.

Sans snapped over to Mutt immediately and pulled him into a devouring kiss, magic pulsing with his agitation. "YOU'RE MINE."

"I am." He echoed as soon as he was free enough to respond.

Sans growled and pressed his hand to Mutt's collar. No, that wasn't enough. He broke the collar off and bit Mutt's neck, pressing the Claim directly into his brother, permanently. Mutt locked up shuddering with a low whine. This wasn't anymore expected than Kari's admission. His hands gripped onto Sans' hips. Sans pulled back to kiss Mutt hungrily. "FOREVER."

Mutt shuddered, "Always was."

Sans clawed at Mutt's shoulders, his magic forming a cock faster than previously. "I'M GOING TO TAKE YOU," he swore.

Mutt leaned back just far enough to give Sans a cocky look, "What's stopping you?" Sans growled and pushed Mutt, cutting through his pants to rut against him. Mutt whined again magic gathered and wavering. He braced his arms to keep from sliding at the rough treatment. He didn't give Mutt time to summon anything, just rutting directly into his bones and taking him. He needed this. He needed the submission, to see that Mutt was here and his and safe. Mutt let out a small yelp at the rough treatment pressing closer. Sans growled and bit at Mutt even as he used his arms to pull Mutt closer.

He purred, "Don't hold back." Sans didn't care how he slammed Mutt into the ground heavily, or that they were right on the floor. This was perfect, Mutt laying there and taking everything as he worked out his need. Sans came inside him and groaned in pleasure. Mutt panted at the raw overstimulation, shivering. He rode everything out happily, and curled around Sans pulling the smaller down with him. Sans nuzzled Mutt as he slowly came back to himself. Mutt nuzzled back, hands moving softly to help soothe.

Sans looked at his brother fondly. "ALWAYS LOYAL, NO MATTER WHAT I DO TO YOU," Sans murmured.

Mutt hummed, "Of course."

Sans hummed in contentment. "WE SHOULD CLEAN UP."

"In a bit." Mutt murmured quietly, rubbing his face along Sans clavicle.

Sans petted Mutt. "HOPING TO STAY STAINED?"

Mutt chuckled, "Maybe."

Sans kissed Mutt again and looked at his collar. "TSK. I'LL NEED TO GET YOU A NEW ONE."

"Could just keep biting." Mutt grinned. He would take a new collar, it would be too weird not having one after years of wearing it.

"AND LEAVE THAT PRETTY NECK OF YOURS BARE?"

Mutt laughed fingering the deep bite, "Don't know, might want to show off." He nuzzled back into Sans ribs, "We can go tomorrow."

"GOOD." Sans grinned at Mutt. He loved Mutt so much. He'd been tearing himself apart and Mutt came and just let him take Mutt apart instead.

Mutt hummed, "Think you'll be alright to come up to bed?"

"IT WILL BE TEMPTING, BUT THE WORST IS PASSED." Sans growled. "SHE IS TERRIBLY TEMPTING, AND SHE HAS NO IDEA."

"She might now."

Sans tilted his head. "OH?"

"I might have made a bit of an overstepping joke. Which she took better than she could have."

"SHE GETS CLOSER AND CLOSER." Sans purred happily and nuzzled Mutt.

"Not sure she'll even remember, she was so close to falling asleep." Mutt responded, "But she did say she cares."

"MM." Sans tilted his head. "WE'RE BONDING BEFORE KARI JOINS."

Mutt tilted his head, "You want to do it before?" That was news, he figured they'd manage to convince her and do it all at once, if nothing else because Sans was so adamant on making it work with her.

"YOU CAME FIRST," Sans pointed out. And he might be a touch worried about how much more easily Kari got along with Mutt. He did not want to be left behind.

"Whenever you want." Mutt agreed nipping at the other.

Sans purred. "GOOD."

Mutt purred back, "Clean up?"

"MWE. YES. TAKE CARE OF THAT AND THEN COME TO THE BEDROOM."

Mutt nodded, "Yes M'lord." If he maybe sounded a little more reverent than usual, well who cared what anyone else thought?  
>>>>>>>

Sans appreciated waking up with two bodies in the bed with him. Sleeping with Mutt had always been comforting, and when he started doing more with his brother that had certainly added a delicious thrill to having him so close by. Kari gave him an entirely different jolt of pleasure, one that curled up inside him and made him puff up with pride that the delicate flighty human chose to stay so close. He lingered for a couple minutes before slipping out to get ready for the day.

Mutt cracked open a socket to peer after him and snuggled back down before he was ordered up and about. He poked at the bite again feeling the familiar magic buzz around his own. Good, that was a reality. Kari opened her own eye and looked at Mutt. "...have fun?" That bite was really hard to not notice.

Mutt hummed an affirmation burying his face in her neck, "Back to feeling normal, anything still sore?"

Kari stretched herself out slowly. "A bit achy, but that's all."

"Anything I could do?" Mutt questioned splaying out on his front.

"Nah. I probably just have to stretch it back out."

Mutt hummed, "Long as you say so. Could always help rub it out." He wiggled fingers at her.

Kari laughed. "Right."

Sans entered the room. "BREAKFAST."

Kari went to stand up only for Sans to scoop her up. "Hey!"

"HI." Sans winked at her.

Mutt grinned following the two, "Could ask M'lord here he's used to the hands."

“OFFERING ME A SHOW?”

Kari blushed and hugged Sans. “Think Mutt might be.”

Mutt chuckled, "Said she was sore, figured I could help work out the knots."

Sans tilted his head. "MUTT COULD GIVE US BOTH A MASSAGE."

"No, not that kind of ache." Kari shook her head. "More like...a bone ache?"

"A MASSAGE WOULD STILL BE NICE."

Mutt hummed, "Add in a little green it might still help."

"SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN!" Sans put Kari gently back on the bed and straightened out the blankets before stripping off his shirt and laying down. Mutt nodded and took up a stance hovering above the other skeleton fingers tinting a light mint color as he ran them over Sans' form firmly.

Sans purred contentedly as Kari watched. That did look really nice. And he did offer. "Should I take my top off too?"

"THAT DOES HELP WORK YOUR BODY BETTER." Kari slipped off her shirt a little self consciously before laying down. Sans' purring increased in volume looking at her.

"It's easier to transfer the magic with body contact." Mutt confirmed shuffling over to press gently against her, careful not to nick her skin in the process. She seemed to absorb the magic a little more readily than Sans, was that because she was injured recently, or a human thing? Interesting whatever it was. He amped up the flow fingers darkening to a more vibrant green as he worked over her shoulders and down her sides.

"Oh, that does feel nice," Kari moaned happily. Sans tilted so he could watch her more easily. Mutt grinned fingers on one hand lingering at any spots that seemed to need it, the other moving to work through her hair at her scalp carefully. Kari slowly felt herself melt under Mutt's touch. Sans watched for a while before reaching over to add to the massage. She shivered lightly at the added touch, but let out another soft happy sound. Mutt grinned and shuffled down to work over her legs and feet. Sans immediately slipped in so he was sitting on top of Kari and kept working over her back.

"What are you doing?" Kari asked.

"A MASSAGE." Mutt kept his work up but listened attentively to the conversation should things go sour.

"I thought Mutt was going to do that."

"I DECIDED TO HELP."

"Is that what this is?" Kari joked. She shifted so he could work into her back better. Sans flushed slightly as he actually touched her spine. Mutt grinned glancing up to where his brother was working. He worked carefully just above her knee. Kari let out another moan before burying her head in the pillow. It felt good. She'd stop them as soon as that stopped being true. Mutt purred working just the slightest bit higher on her leg. Watching for any signs of pain. Sans worked up and down her spine, lingering slightly over her shoulder blades. She had a beautiful backbone under all that flesh. Mutt grinned working high enough that his fingers brushed against Sans as he pressed into her.

Kari shivered. That felt really good. “This is...just a massage, right?” She let out another moan.

“AS LONG AS YOU WANT THAT.”

"You're free to call the shots with me whenever." Mutt assured leaning over the both of them.

She closed her eyes. “Then...just a massage.”

“FINE.” Sans kept his work up, enjoying the little sighs and moans that would escape when he hit a particularly sensitive spot. Mutt nodded moving off to one side so he could work slowly down an arm and into the hand. Okay, it was official. They were trying to kill her. Sans’ work on her back was nice and soothing, but Mutt just seemed determined to hit every single sensitive spot on her body. She was just lucky they were skeletons and not something with a good sense of smell. Mutt kept up the gentle purring, impossible to growl at the same time. He glanced to Sans seeing how he was faring. Sans' eyelights danced with excitement even as he controlled himself and kept his touch gentle. He looked at Mutt and smirked. Mutt trailed his fingers across her shoulders and the back of her neck as he switched her to the other side to work down the other arm.

Kari shifted, Sans taking his chance to reach up and work on her neck. He could so easily just snap her neck, kill her right then and there. But she didn't shift away from him. Sans bit back a growl. Mutt's purring dipped a bit lower, not quite into a growl...but certainly not the light noise of a few moments ago.

Okay, this was enough. Kari squirmed. Sans shifted back. “DONE!” She nodded, not daring to look at them.

Mutt set her hand gently back down on the bed, "Better?"

“Yep! Much better!” Mutt chuckled pulling Sans off to the side with him so she could move, and he could press his face to his brother's shoulder. Sans purred and watched as Kari leaped up. “I’ll just go down and grab breakfast!” She glanced back at them. Lingering wouldn’t hurt. But...no. Not yet. She turned and left. Mutt let out a sigh as she left the room. That had been hard, holding back against instinct was horrid. Props to Sans and his ability to do it all the damned time.

Sans looked at Mutt and allowed his soul to press forward and glow. Mutt rumbled nuzzling against his brother allowing himself to do the same. Sans rumbled back, looking down at the soft orange glow emitting from his brother. The glow looked good matched with his own darker purple. He reached out and pressed lightly against Mutt’s ribs. Mutt shivered but leaned into the touch slightly. Sans grinned, keeping his hand there as he worked his other one over his own ribs. His soul pulsed with the joy of Mutt’s soul being visible, making the glow even stronger. Mutt whimpered leaning forward, and stopped by the hand against him. Until Sans allowed him to move he wouldn't, didn't mean he didn't want to though.

“CLOSER?” Sans dragged his hand up to grasp behind Mutt’s neck and drag him forward. Mutt all but pounced leaning in so quickly. He nuzzled into Sans' chest, hands busy running down the smaller's ribs. Sans choked slightly, whining at the feel of Papyrus pressing so close to his soul. He felt his soul manifest inside his chest and whined in pleasure. Mutt whined back nipping at a rib. He shuddered at the buzz of magic against his face. His own soul and magic gathering solidly. Sans lifted up Mutt’s shirt and his breath caught. Mutt’s soul was so beautiful. Cracked and broken but healed over and pulsing with life and everything that was his brother. “PAPYRUS.” Mutt paused looking up attentively, waiting.

“I WANT TO TOUCH YOUR SOUL.” He wouldn’t command this. It was far too intimate. But he wanted it, with every part of his soul. His magic was probably screaming how much he desired Mutt.

Mutt sat back, tucking his hands neatly behind himself, presenting. "If you wish."

Sans sucked in his breath and reached out to gently hold his brother’s soul. Mutt whimpered going a weird mix of rigid and lax at the same time. Utter devotion, admiration, love, and excitement swirling and the exhilaration from just being touched. Sans was almost overloading from the pleasure of touching Mutt’s soul. He stroked it gently, sending back pulses of his own possessive and protective love.

Mutt shuddered whimpering, "M'lord please-" he wasn't entirely sure what he was asking for. A release? More of the same? He'd never done this not even to himself.

Sans shuddered hard and released Mutt’s soul, practically gasping with pleasure. “YOU CAN TOUCH MINE.” If he was sure. This was so much. Mutt stared at him in awe, carefully unclasping his hands and tracing a finger ever so lightly around the edges of Sans' soul. His brother was so vibrant...it wasn't fair something so wild and fierce was stuck in a place like the underground.

Sans fell forward onto his brother. Deep fierce love and loyalty pushed through his soul, along with a sharp protectiveness and awe. Sans didn’t think he could take much more. Having his soul touched like this was beyond anything. Mutt hummed tucking his brother against his chest cradling him there. He stared at the glowing soul and twitched his thumb, swiping it just barely across the surface. His mind flashed unbidden to awhile back same thing that's always there: please him. 

He pressed just that much firmer, "What would you have of me?"

Sans’ entire body trembled, his soul pulsing brightly with how deeply he loved Mutt. “KEEP DOING....” How did he manage to even get any words out? Mutt purred projecting out his affection, the intent to obey, to service, to pleasure, cupping the soul in his palm. Sans pulsed again with pleasure, not able to clearly differentiate between his cupped soul and his body. Sans’ magic dripped heavily in response to Mutt’s touch.

Mutt watched the liquid magic as it made its way along. He swiped his fingers through it testing the viscosity, "Bear with me." It took some maneuvering to get the other's pants out of the way, but he managed; lightly tracing along the crest of Sans' hip. Sans managed a partial growl before dissolving back into a low whine of pleasure, arching into Mutt’s touch. Mutt shushed him nuzzling at his face hands busy tracing small patterns against both bone and soul, a steady thrum of want and love pouring off of him.

Sans nuzzled back, all of his bones glowing with the force of his love and pleasure. He was going to go completely over the edge if this kept up, dripping hard and Mutt only managing to up his pleasure even further. Mutt purred leaning over kiss Sans just as his fingers slid down the line from hip to pubis. A vagina managed to form as Sans kissed Mutt back. He hadn’t meant to form it, but any kind of control he had had long since been lost. The magic snapping into place didn't startle him, but the form did. Well, that was new. Mutt pressed Sans back down to the mattress, this he could work with. He trailed down leaving small nips in his wake, before pausing just barely a breath away from the summoned magic.

Sans looked up. Blearily he thought there was something wrong with this picture. Shouldn’t he and Mutt be swapped? But he couldn’t think with Mutt so close to his core and still cradling his soul. “PAPYRUS...”

Mutt hummed looking up the line of Sans' body, "M'lord?"

“LOVE YOU,” he managed. He patted Mutt’s skull. Mutt purred and leaned just far enough to drag his tongue along the magic before him pressing the flat of a thumb firmly against the soul in his hand. Sans bucked, the most intense orgasm he’d ever experienced riding through him. He might have blacked out for a moment from the intensity. He cried hard, feeling everything expanded with his soul exposed and vulnerable. Mutt came back up curling against him mindful of both their placements, releasing the soul in his hand back towards its rightful place.

Sans curled around his soul and let it return, though the glow remained. He felt too much to tap down on it right away. He looked up at Mutt. “THAT WAS...” Good? Perfect? Intense? “GREAT.”

Mutt nodded relaxing into the bed, "Love you too." Sans purred and pressed against Mutt. Mutt grinned lazily and teased, "Taste good by the way."

Sans blushed furiously. “YOU WOULD THINK THAT.”

Mutt snickered under his breath, "Thank you."

Sans looked at Mutt. “I’LL HOLD YOUR SOUL NEXT TIME.” As intense as this was he didn’t think he could actually muster the energy to give Mutt what he deserved in return.

Mutt shrugged, "If you really want to, sure." He was perfectly content just to do so for Sans.

“IT IS MINE.” Mutt would give it to him gladly. He nodded snuggling around the smaller form with a lazy affirmative hum. “YOU’LL LIKE IT. IT’S BETTER THAN SEX.”

Mutt blinked, "Course I'd like it. It's you."

Sans purred and nuzzled into Mutt. “YES.” How did Mutt always know what to say to make him feel enthralled?

He grinned pressing a kiss to Sans' shoulder, "We should be getting up."

“MWE!” He had not meant to get distracted! Breakfast was going to be cold! Sans scrambled out of bed, and quickly realized he was going to need a shower. He’d dripped far too much to skip it.

Mutt chuckled stretching before he got out of the bed. "Go on, I'll reheat stuff."

“GOOD!”


	32. Muffet's

Kari had waited for a while before she had to accept that Sans and Mutt had gotten distracted and weren’t going to be down anytime soon. So she ate breakfast on her own and headed over to Muffet’s. “Good morning!” She greeted cheerfully.

Muffet perked up from her station behind the bar, "Good morning Kari dear, you're about early." She set down whatever she had been straightening out back there and came around, "I heard you made your way into Hotland, how was that for you?"

Mutt must have told her. Kari didn’t think anyone else had seen her running. “Interesting. I didn’t know there was a lava flow under here.”

"Oh yes, it helps with the core's thermodynamic components. All areas down here have something that contributes to keeping the place running." She paused looking Kari over, "No lasting damage from anything yes? You are able to get around just fine?"

Okay, that Muffet shouldn’t know. Would Mutt tell Muffet how vulnerable Kari had been? She stilled, watching the spider closely. “Of course I’m fine. Not easy to get me down. Not even the heat. Really though, couldn’t have a more apt name.”

"I find most places are very apt, if incredibly simply, named. Though it's good, I would hate to have to pay those boys a visit for neglecting any needs you may have." Muffet giggled, "Though since you've made your way there once I suppose it shouldn't be too much of a bother picking something up this afternoon would it?"

Kari leaned towards Muffet with a smirk. “Oh, they are very happy to tend to my...needs.” She leaned back. “And it wouldn’t be any trouble. I’m sure my spiders can help direct me. Who am I looking for, and what should I check the package for?”

"They most certainly can lead the way for you, and just make sure it hasn't been opened or damaged. If it does appear so, you'll not want to handle it where you could possibly breathe it in." 

"This particular round comes from a group of plant based monsters and they tend to be perfectly content so long as they are paid correctly. Usually it's Briar who does the drop offs she has light blue round the tips of her vines, though sometimes a sister will come in her stead if she's busy tending seedlings." Muffet plucked a small pouch, tightly cinched, from an apron pocket handing it over.

Kari nodded and accepted the pouch. “I’ll be back quick as I can.” She waved to Muffet and headed out towards the house. “Spiders?” She asked softly. She crouched down, looking for the ones she’d been given. The small group of spiderlings that she was assigned scuttled forward from a hiding spot underneath a windowsill. The biggest of the group crawled directly up onto her, settling on a hand. It peered up at her with an oddly soft expression to its eyes.

Kari petted it gently. “Hey there. I’ve got an errand to Hotland. Do you all want to come? I need a guide, but some of you can stay back if you want.” Two more smaller spiders scurried up hiding into folds of her clothing. The biggest set to work spinning a small web of looping threads each loop was attached to a finger and the whole thing was anchored around her wrist. The spider peered back up at her gently tugging on individual strings. It sat clinging to the base of the web around her wrist as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Kari wriggled her fingers, testing the strings. “What’s this? Reins to steer me?” She joked. The spiderling blinked at and tugged on the string attached to her index finger, perhaps it was in fact there to help with communication of some sort.

“Alright! Let’s get going then.” Kari cheerfully trotted out of Snowdin. It wasn’t nearly as bad going through the foggy area where it began to meet Waterfall now that she knew how monsters did traps. It only took her an hour to cross over into Waterfall and head down to the dump. She slowed a lot there, watching carefully to make sure she didn’t draw the attention of anything unwanted. Perhaps it wasn’t necessary, but she still slipped into stealth. One of the smaller spiderlings had become bold along the journey crawling from her clothing up to her shoulder where it spun a small sticky web to stay in place watching the world go by. The larger stayed in place on her wrist occasionally tugging on the strings, turn here or there, a hard yank for stop, loose for nothing at all.

Kari was pretty amused at the spiderling directing her. It had taken a bit to figure it out, and she had enjoyed arguing good naturedly about which route was the best. Thankfully they did cut out of the dump without any unexpected surprises, and her spiderlings had a fantastic grasp on the best route through the town. She took a break to drink as they approached the rocks marking where the damp tunnels began to give way to heated rocks and running lava.

“Okay, you’ll need to take over from here." The spider lead with enthusiasm tugging on this string and that occasionally giving her a look now that she was brave enough to argue the ways they went. Eventually they made off to a small area off one of the main pathways. Sitting atop what appeared to be a twisted mass of roots was a smallish female monster. Her teeth like most of the other monsters were jagged and her skin was a near translucent color of pale beige. Rather than hands her arms began to separate into long vines each prehensile around the tips were small clusters of flowers a blue violet in color. 

The eyes were located more along where a shoulder would be, and it glared sharply, "Why are you here?"

"For pick up," Kari chirped. She pulled out the bag Muffet had given her. "Unless you don't want to get paid."

The plant monster eyed her and the spiderlings riding on her, "You are new, I've never seen you before. Muffet usually comes herself. What an odd specimen you are too, pretty eyes though." Several long vines unwrapped revealing a smallish box, wrapped in paper and wax sealed plainly. "Careful now, it's fairly heavy for its size."

Kari smiled sweetly and stepped down to accept the box, bracing herself for the weight. She was being surprisingly accepting of someone new picking up the package. She was waiting for it to go wrong. Whatever was in the box was perhaps heavy to something that didn't have a good grasp on weight. It couldn't have been more than 15 lbs overall, though it would take two hands to carry it size wise. 

"Be careful with it Muffet makes a good deal for us and I don't want it screwed up." 

The remaining spiderling hidden in her clothing pulled her phone out of a pocket. Kari tilted her head and took the phone. “Call Muffet?” She checked. She hefted the box under one arm carefully. She put the phone briefly on top of the box when she remembered she hadn’t passed the pouch over and did so.

Briar took the pouch delicately, "Think she's trying to remind you to use the inventory newbie. Never seen a phone like that, is it a newer NTT?"

“Oh.” Right, inventory. “I’m not used to having a phone.” She opened it up and tapped the inventory, carefully putting the box in it and deliberately ignoring the last question. “There.” She grinned triumphantly and put the phone back away. Kari patted the spiderling as thanks. She’d be able to move a lot faster now. The spiderling crawled up joining the one riding on her shoulder. 

"Well they seem to like you well enough, and you'll either last with Muffet or you won't. Careful with the heat, not all the Snowdin monsters are able to keep up with it."

“Thanks!” Kari carefully backed away before spinning around and sprinting back the way she came. Perhaps not her wisest move, she’d tire quicker running in the heat, but she was eager to get to the coolness of Waterfall.

Briar's vines dipped before twisting back together what an odd little thing Muffet had managed to rope into her ranks. 

The trip back was quicker and quieter than the one there once Kari decided to run. It felt good to just stretch out like that, pausing only when she needed to or when twisting around traps. She slowed down to a casual walk entering Snowdin and grinned at the spiderlings. “Success.” She proudly strutted into Muffet’s and pulled out her phone. “Hey Muffet. Got the delivery.”

Muffet waved with a free hand as she set a tray of drinks out for a small group of bunnies. She smiled brightly as she turned around. "Already Kari dear? You must have run most of the way!"

“It was nice to stretch myself.” Kari grinned brightly at the monster.

Muffet shook her head with a fond smile, "Sometimes I wonder about you and those boys of yours."

Kari shrugged a little uncertainly and took the package out. “Oh! Um, do you know what the spiders might like for a treat? To celebrate our first job together.”

Muffet positively cooed at her, "Oh they can handle anything in the shop. Why don't you all come take your pick and relax?" Muffet took the box checking the seal and tucking it underneath the bar top.

“Sounds great!” Kari walked over and examined the various pastries. “I do love your donuts.”

Muffet tittered a laugh, "Why thank you dearie, I can teach you how to make them later if you're interested."

“You would?” Why would she do that? Kari looked at Muffet a little suspiciously.

Muffet laughed again, "Now what is that look on your face for? You couldn't make them properly outside of my own shops, so I would have to be the one to do it."

“Alright. You can just take the price of the donuts off my delivery. One for me, and one for my-the spiders to share.”

Muffet waved her off, "Nonsense, you did a good job, I'm not going to dock you for a treat, and you are perfectly free to refer to them as yours dearie. They chose to come to you, and you are working with us, might as well be family."

“Us, family?” Kari laughed harshly. “No way would we ever be family!” Not with the way the word tasted like ash on her tongue.

Muffet tilted her head blinking a variety of eyes at her, "Friends then." She stated simply and left it at that. Though she frowned heavily, something about what she had said was setting off a nasty reaction in the tiny human girl. Muffet was curious, perhaps Papyrus would know some answers.

“If you wish to think that.” Kari smiled sweetly. “Donuts please?”

Muffet nodded carefully taking a pair of the sweets and a cup of tea over balanced expertly on a tray, "Tomorrow's venture will be a little harder. I'd tell you to bring your mongrel, but I'm certain Sans would have both of our heads on pikes if he caught wind."

“Yeah?” Kari grinned, relaxing as the subject became more businesslike. She carefully put the one donut to the side for her spiders before digging into her own.

"I have always been a sucker for an easy profit, I used to bet on Papyrus all the time when he was fighting. A pity Sans is so protective, it was quite lucrative."

“Yeah?” She hadn’t known that about Mutt. It was interesting Muffet commented so easily on Sans’ protective streak too as for why Papyrus had stopped.

"I'm still not certain that Sans is even fully aware of everything that boy got himself into, he started out as quite a little rebel." Muffet laughed, "Anyway Kari dear your little ones will know where to lead you tomorrow and there's no need to rush here beforehand, unless you wish to eat before you head off."

“He is trouble,” Kari agreed easily. She looked down at the spiderlings and smiled at them. “Alright.”

"Oh dearie something tells me you don't know the half of it yet." Muffet smiled widely, "But I'm sure eventually you will." She wandered off to cater to another monster as they entered the establishment.

Kari tilted her head. She wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to pry. She wasn’t supposed to be attached, after all. Even if she was way more than she pretended. She ate her donut and savoured the tea slowly. Kari didn’t have much of a taste for tea, but this was decent stuff. Then again, she liked the way most of the monster food tasted. Almost tingly. Done eating she waved to Muffet and headed home.  
>>>>>>>>>>>>

It hadn't been that long since he had spent time with Muffet. He didn't worry too awfully much about what others heard between the two of them. So he laid his arms across the bar face pressed to the cool surface. 

Muffet huffed and dropped a damp rag on his head, "Papyrus if you're going to smudge my polish job at least fix it, and give me something worthwhile." 

"Aw Muff ya know I don't kiss an' tell." He muttered from under the rag. 

"You most certainly have before. Would you care for a drink?" 

"Not if you're mixing." 

"More's the pity. Order or get off my bar." 

"Fine fine, I'll take something." Mutt replied peering from under the cover of the damp rag. 

"I worry about your little human Papyrus, she has some questionable morals." Muffet commented handing over a glass of deep violet. He contemplated it before knocking the whole thing back. 

"She just has some issues." 

"We all have issues Dearie. She has trauma." 

"She's tough." 

"Oh I know that. I wouldn't have allowed her to go collect things from some of the harsher clients if I didn't have faith she could handle herself." Muffet untapped a few bottles mixing easily without looking and setting it before him. 

"I'm not looking to make it worse." 

"See to it that you do not." 

"You threatening me?" He chuckled dipping a finger into the drink. 

"Mind your manners," she hopped him on his head, "I didn't work them into you for you to lose them now. You have two people under that roof. One of them snaps at the idea of family, fix it Papyrus." 

Mutt sighed knocking back the second drink, "Workin' on it Muff." 

A scuffle broke out in a corner booth. Mutt rolled his eyes snatching the idiots up and bringing them over to the bar. Muffet smiled, "Oh now little lovelies, I really do wish you hadn't done that. Pappy, be a love and set them down." 

Mutt shrugged setting them on the last two stools. Spiderlings covered the both of them in thick cocoons of silk. Muffet smiled coming over to lean on the bar in front of them, "Here's how this is going to be boys. You'll stay right here nice and cozy. Until you get desperate enough to take anything I give you." 

Mutt snorted, "I give them a week tops." 

"And then you'll be wanting to have someone send a collection jar." Muffett twittered a pitchy laugh. 

Mutt rolled his eyes, why did he always attract the crazy ones? Muffet returned to their previous area using his absence to wipe the smudges off her bar.


	33. Domination

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is smut in this chapter! Smut will be marked when it begins

Sans marched in front of the guards glaring at them. Greater Dog whined eagerly while Lesser Dog simply looked thrilled. At what, he had no clue. Lesser was not the brightest of the bunch. "YOU'VE BEEN SLACKING."

"Not true," Dogamy growled.

"THEN IT WAS SOMEONE ELSE WHO LET THAT PACKAGE OF FAULTY GREEN GOODS THROUGH?" Sans mocked.

The dog monsters grumbled but didn’t speak up again. Sans looked at Doggo, the blinded dog whuffing. “I HAVE DECIDED TO BE GENEROUS ABOUT THIS MISHAP, AND INSTEAD OF KILLING THE OFFENDER YOU WILL ALL RUN MY OBSTACLE COURSE UNTIL I DECIDE I AM SATISFIED WITH YOUR REACTION TIMES.”

Dogaressa growled unhappily. “You know Doggo has trouble with these!”

“THEN YOU’D BEST HOPE HE LEARNS QUICKLY,” Sans mocked. He summoned some bones. “GET GOING!”

Lesser Dog jolted into a run with Greater right behind, both looking disgustingly cheerful. The others took a moment longer to assess before starting into what they knew would be a trapped hell field. Temmie watched from their place in the trees, an expression of awe pasted on their face. Sans glimpsed the child monster and decided to ignore them. The child wouldn’t be brave enough to bother him so he didn’t have to deal with it.

Sans sent a sharp bone at Doggo to alert him to the fact he was about to get his head cut off. "IDIOT! WATCH YOUR STEP!" If Doggo died he'd have to get a replacement, and Sans was not interested in dealing with guard stuff anymore than he had to. Dogaressa and Dogamy worked in perfect sync of course, and ignored everyone else. Doggo was trying his best, and Lesser and Greater...Sans still wasn’t sure how they managed to consistently pass his tests. Lesser came and stopped by him. Sans grimaced and summoned a bone to throw. “GO.” The dog monster streaked after it in delight.

Shortly into the afternoon most of the guard was shaking and ready to collapse from exhaustion. “WEAKLINGS,” Sans scoffed. “WELL, SINCE NONE OF YOU MET MY STANDARDS,” groans met this announcement, “YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THIS AGAIN TOMORROW!”

“If I was Captain,” Doggo grumbled.

“THEN I WOULD HAVE KILLED YOU TO GET RID OF YOUR INCOMPETENCE,” Sans said cheerfully. “NOW SHOO. I DON’T WANT TO LOOK AT YOUR UGLY FACES ANY LONGER.” A nice day of driving the guards crazy accompanied Sans as he headed into his workshop, cheerfully humming to himself. He still had some ideas to make for Mutt and Kari. Mutt popped up a while later, wobbling a bit on his landing, not the worst he'd come home by far. He shook himself a bit to firm up his stance.

Sans looked up absently at Mutt. "I NEED TO MEASURE YOUR NECK."

"New collar?" He questioned coming over to drape himself over the other and spy on what he was doing.

"CUSTOM," Sans answered absently. He quickly checked his brother's neck and turned back to the chain he was working on. He had started weaving magic into it, only to have to undo it when the metal began to overload.

Mutt hummed happily leaning on the smaller, "What brought this on?"

“CAME TO ME WATCHING DOGGO.”

"How did that go?" He replied plucking delicately around the edges of his sweater.

“THEY’RE ALL IDIOTS. IF I WOULDN’T REQUIRE HIRING REPLACEMENTS I’D KILL THEM.”

"Sounds about right." He shed his jacket and sweater dumping them off to the side of the couch.

Sans twisted into the metal. “I SHOULD HAVE DRAGGED YOU ALONG. AT LEAST THAT WOULD HAVE GIVEN ME SOMETHING MORE INTERESTING TO WATCH THAN THEIR INEPTITUDE.”

"Planning on having me break a sweat?"

Sans smirked. “YES.”

Mutt eyed him for a few seconds before flopping over into his lap, "Suppose I could live with it."

“MUTT!” Sans looked down at his brother. “IT’S GOING TO BE HARDER TO MAKE YOUR COLLAR LIKE THIS.”

Mutt chuckled, "I could make it harder than this." Nope he wasn’t falling for this. He was going to just look away from Mutt and concentrate on threading his magic through the metal. Mutt just rumbled a purr at not being physically ejected from his lounging perch. He cuddled further nuzzling against Sans hip and allowing himself to drift. Sans checked his work and then Mutt. It looked like it would work, weaving into Mutt’s magic and the Claim Sans had left to make the chain collar pulse a warning purple if Mutt was attacked. Anyone who did so would know Sans would come to take care of it. He made a couple more tweaks and petted Mutt absently.

Mutt rumbled arms wrapping around Sans as if he were a pillow, which at the moment... Sans poked Mutt. Mutt lazily traced a finger down Sans' spine in retaliation.

Sans shivered. "MUTT. I'M DONE."

"Mmmmk."

He carefully locked the new collar around Mutt's neck and admired the way it fell. "SATISFACTORY."

Mutt snorted playing with the new addition gently, "Heavier on the magic than that last one."

"THIS ONE WILL LIGHT UP WHEN A WARNING IS REQUIRED."

Mutt blinked and sat up with a rumbling purr, "Anything else?"

Sans grinned and leaned forward. "YOU MIGHT FEEL WHEN I'M THINKING OF YOU." Mutt tilted his head, that was possible? Leave it to Sans to figure out how to work something like that, the man really was a genius. He bridged the gap between the two nuzzling along Sans' jaw. Sans purred and tilted down to nip lightly at Mutt's jawline.

>>smut>>  
Mutt couldn't help it the excitement of the new collar, the maybe to heavy of drinks from Muffet's, and just the sheer force from Sans coaxed a glow from him. Sans purred, lifting up Mutt's shirt to slowly run his hands over and under Mutt's ribs as he admired the glow. Mutt shivered and whined at the contact nipping at Sans' neckline.

“LOOK AT YOU, SO PRETTILY LAID OUT LIKE THIS.” He pulled Mutt into a long kiss, hands curling tightly around his ribs.

He would have snapped something smart about Sans being the pretty one of the two, but it wasn't worth interrupting the affection he was already receiving instead the purring ramped up into a steady thrum as he pressed into the kiss. Sans curled into Mutt, one hand going to wrap around Mutt’s spine and slowly stroke it. How could he be expected to resist his brother when he looked like this? Mutt arched into the touch tugging the smaller onto his lap with a whimper. Sans purred and pulled back to trail kisses slowly down Mutt’s neck before biting into his collar bone. Mutt faltered in his noises bucking reflexively despite the magic still swirling unformed.

Sans grinned eagerly at Mutt and bit down again. “DO YOU WANT SOMETHING?”

Mutt curled voice shaky, "Bring me down." He was this close to pouncing the smaller.

Sans jerked sharply on Mutt’s collar. “LOOK AT ME.” His eyes burned. Mutt hissed out a breath at the jerk and snapped his eyes to his brother. “YOU WILL OBEY ME.” Mutt nodded silently, hands moving to trace over Sans' ribs through his shirt. “FORM A PUSSY.”

Mutt whined willing the magic into the requested form, it took a few seconds of inner struggle, but he managed.

“I AM GOING TO TAKE YOU,” he promised Mutt. He pulled down Mutt’s pants and slowly stroked around the folds.Mutt squirmed unable to do much with the angle, he whined again hands making their way beneath Sans' shirt to feel the other's magic buzzing against his fingers.

Sans chuckled and kissed Mutt, forming a cock easily. “WANT ME INSIDE YOU? ALL OF MY ATTENTION, ALL OF MY MAGIC, YOURS. AS LONG AS YOU OBEY.”

"Please M'lord." He replied, voice wavering on going out. Sans grinned and thrust forward, sheathing himself inside Mutt with one smooth movement. He kissed him again, devouring the way Mutt trembled beneath him. Mutt arched, shaking indeed, and gripped Sans' ribs fingers slipping along the spaces between. Sans thrusted into him, working to hit a point that would make Mutt unravel beneath him. He looked so good like this. Mutt scrabbled to keep up with the rhythm when he did find that spot. His voice gave out on him in the middle of a sharp noise as he clung to Sans spiraling hard.

Sans rumbled loudly. This was perfect. The way Mutt was falling. He felt himself on the edge of spilling into him. “GOING TO PAINT YOU INSIDE,” Sans growled. Mutt shuddered drawing the tips of his claws lightly down the inside of Sans' ribs and along his spine. Sans jolted and felt himself spill into Mutt. Mutt practically vibrated despite the lack of actual sound. He brushed the back of his fingers against Sans' face, and pulled him into a kiss. Sans kissed Mutt contentedly, languidly tasting Mutt’s tongue and continuing to rock back and forth. Mutt whimpered softly, finally managing to get a small hold back on his vocals.

“PAPYRUS,” Sans breathed. “MINE.” He whined lowly bowing low enough bury his face in Sans' neck nodding in agreement. Sans held onto Mutt as he worked to bring his brother to an orgasm. It didn't take long before Mutt was clamping down on him spiraling out again. He pressed his face into Sans, biting down on his clavicle. Sans yelped in surprise and pressed into Mutt, letting the pleasure cascade through him. Mutt purred letting go of the bite as he came back down from the high. Sans nuzzled Mutt contentedly before slowly pulling out.

Mutt nuzzled back murmuring, "Probably gonna stain."

“IT WILL BE PRETTY TO LOOK AT.” Sans smirked at Mutt.

Mutt laughed softly, "Long as I don't have to explain it."

Sans smirked. "I'LL TELL IF ANYONE ASKS. TELL EVERYONE HOW PRETTY YOU LOOKED SPREAD UNDER ME."

Mutt gave a false innocent look back, "Guess I'll just have to look pretty more often." Sans rumbled proudly and nuzzled Mutt. Mutt rumbled back leaning lightly against him, "Should get you cleaned up."

Sans looked down and huffed. "HONESTLY." He loved being with his brother, but it was a pain cleaning up after.

Mutt chuckled, "Would I lie to you?"

"FINE. BUT YOU HAVE TO WASH ME."

"That's fine." Mutt replied eyeing him with a grin. Sans huffed at his brother again before walking imperiously off to the bathroom. Mutt watched him for a few seconds before following after.


	34. Dancing

Sans rushed back and forth in his workshop, mind racing as he worked to piece together his idea. Kari stood in the entrance, watching him before turning back to Mutt. “He’s so...excited.”

Mutt nodded, "He does this every so often. Not sure where he puts the energy."

Kari leaned casually onto Mutt, pretending to herself she wasn't actually seeking out affection. Mutt was just...so warm. "He looks amazing."

Mutt looked down at her and casually propped an arm on her shoulder, "I could argue that's a common occurrence...but I might be biased." Kari chuckled. Sans turned around, looking at the two of them, before darting over and digging through Mutt's pocket before pulling out a tube of green magic and going back to his work. Mutt scowled a bit at his tube being pilfered, but he was just as interested to see what was taking form as she was.

"Was he even aware he just pocketed you?" Kari joked.

"I'm not entirely certain." Mutt grinned, "So where'd Muff send you this time?"

"Down into one of the places in Waterfall. I swear there's little communities hidden _everywhere_. I think I actually saw a house built in the dump the other day."

"Don't know I've ever noticed a real house in there. Do know some people tend to stick close to it though."

"It's actually nice seeing these new places. I know I've been busy working on getting past the barrier," don't think about her soul being taken, "but taking a break is good."

"WORK HARDER," Sans said absently as he carefully pieced another part together.

Mutt rolled his eyes, "You're being excitable M'lord."

"THIS IS GOING TO BE BRILLIANT."

"I'm sure it will."

"Can I have a hint?"

"DANCING!" Kari looked at Mutt. What on earth did Sans mean by that?

Mutt shrugged, "Beats me."

Kari snickered. "he really is on a groove isn't he?"

Mutt snickered, "Think we could shuffle over unnoticed?"

"I'll follow your lead." Mutt scooped her up moving in a little closer so they could try and peek. "Just waltzing over huh?" Kari snuggled up to Mutt and peered over at Sans' creation. A smooth figure of sorts seemed to be caught mid dance and was attached on top of the device Sans was making. "Is he doing a music box?" Kari murmured.

"Maybe? Wonder if he has a tune in mind..."

"Bet it's Napstaton."

"QUIET," Sans grumbled.

Mutt blinked, "I believe we're irritating the creative genius." Sans snarled again as he tested the magic synapse.

"Yup, definitely irritating him," Kari said.

Mutt grinned. "Shame it's irritation and not distraction."

"I WILL LOCK YOU BOTH OUTSIDE IF YOU DON'T LET ME GET THIS FINISHED."

"Oh no. Whatever would we do Mutt?"

"Snuggle for warmth?"

"We might indeed have to do that." Sans spun around and scowled at them both. "OUT!"

Mutt blinked widening his eyelights. "Nooooo M'lord. We'll be good."

"YOU ARE BOTH TROUBLE!"

"Nooo! Mutt might be, but I'm not!" Kari cheerfully chucked Mutt under the bus. "And I can control him. Look. Mutt, sit!" Mutt gave her a playful side eye for the bus tossing, but plopped himself to the floor to play along anyway. "Play dead!" Mutt snickered rolled onto her feet holding still."See? Completely under control!" Sans twitched. Mutt had to fight not to laugh. "So can we stay? Please?"

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Sans turned Mutt blue and gently threw both of them out.

"Aw, phooey."

Mutt chuckled, "Guess we overdid it."

“At least we weren’t chucked into a snowbank.”

"That is fortunate."

Kari looked up at Mutt. “Do you think Sans will want to go dancing?”

"Like out to do it? Maybe, bet if you told him you like the idea he'd jump at it."

“Is there a place to go dancing here?” She missed it.

Mutt shrugged, "Nowhere that really advertises it so much. Couple places in the Capital that have parties but they can be less than savory sometimes. Depends on the crowd."

“Well here is fine too. I just like dancing.”

Mutt grinned, "That we can do."

“I’VE DONE IT!” Sans raced out of his workshop and kissed Mutt and Kari. Kari looked at Sans a little dazed by the surprise kiss.

Mutt blinked, "We allowed back in then?"

“YES YOU IDIOT!” He ran back into the workshop.

“He almost makes that sound fond.”

Mutt gave her a little crooked grin, "Who says its not?" Kari studied Mutt. Mutt raised a brow at her, "Somethin' in my teeth?"

She shook her head quickly. “No.” She followed Sans back into the workshop.

Sans held out what looked like a music box. “WATCH!” He tapped it, and the figure on top began to spin like it was dancing. That wasn’t the most enthralling part however. Enchanting music wove through the air, and Kari felt better, lighter, as she listened to it.

Mutt leaned in the doorway, "Teeny did just say she likes dancin."

Sans grinned, pleased that using the green magic from Mutt had worked the way he’d wanted to, weaving it into the music. “REALLY?”

Kari caught herself and looked at Sans. “Uh, yeah. I used to dance all the time.”

"Used to?"

“Kinda was busy for the last while figuring out how to live down here,” Kari pointed out.

Sans stepped forward. “DANCE WITH ME.” She hated being commanded and was about to refuse just because of that when she was caught in Sans’ gaze. There was so much confidence, and want, and passion there. She found herself silently nodding.

Mutt watched her reactions, "Might be easier on you to add a please there M'lord." Sans ignored Mutt, stepping forward and sweeping Kari into a dance. She laughed a little at how rough and sharp his movements were. 

“No, no, like this." She pulled him into something smoother. Mutt crossed his arms settling against the wall to watch them. They made a cute little set moving around the space. Sans followed Kari’s lead, and it was almost as easy as following Mutt. The dance was a little odd, but he had a wonderful time dancing across the room with her until the music stopped. Kari dipped into a pretend curtsy and grinned. “I’ve missed that.” Mutt let out a low whistle, they were pretty fluid for not having done that before.

Kari glanced over at Mutt and grinned. “Want a turn?”

Mutt grinned, "Think you can keep up Teeny thing?"

"Oh, is that a challenge?" She grinned and sashayed towards him. "Come on then lover boy. Let's see your moves."

Mutt chuckled with a sweeping bow, "Sure sure." Sans grinned and stepped over to the radio clicking onto a more jazzy upbeat song for them to dance with. Kari's heart pounded as she stepped up to take his hands. Mutt nodded to his brother and easily swept her along into a quicker rhythm. If she flagged he could always do what he did when Sans was little and let her stand on his toes. Wow, he was better than she'd expected. Kari grinned and spun along with him, easily giving herself to him and following his lead.

"Having fun?" He asked giving her a little spin out.

Kari laughed. "So much!" She should have asked him to dance with her ages ago! Mutt grinned back, good. They all deserved something easy in life, and this seemed to lift all their spirits. He kept at it until the number ended, passing her back to Sans.

Sans wasn’t as good at dancing. He knew he probably looked clumsy compared to his brother. But he was enjoying this moment and was determined to keep up. She looked so free and happy dancing between them. Mutt grinned watching from the sidelines, Sans was harder on himself than he needed to be about things. It was good to see him just do something for once, best at it or not.

Kari slid dancing into the next song, and then the next. At one point she pulled Mutt back into dancing, and had both of them with her. It felt good. Almost like they were already free. Mutt hummed along with the music keeping time and managing to somehow lead the both of the smaller well enough they didn't crash into each other. This was actually...probably the most innocent fun he'd had in years.

Eventually they drew to a stop, Kari panting happily and Sans practically glowing with delight.

"That...was a smart idea."

“It was great.” Kari beamed at Mutt and pushed her hair out of her face.

“YES! WE SHALL HAVE TO DANCE AGAIN!” Once Sans had taught himself how to do it better.

Mutt laughed, "Could always work on the other type."

“OTHER TYPE?” Kari tilted her head waiting for a punchline.

Mutt shook his head with a sigh, "Horizontal tango?"

Kari laughed and Sans looked between the pair before flushing. “MWE!”

He grinned, "Stepped right into that one."

“Bet you guys get plenty of practice,” Kari joked.

"Welcome to waltz on into the practice room whenever you like." Mutt winked at her. Kari giggled and flushed.

“YOU ARE WELCOME ANY TIME,” Sans agreed. Mutt nodded ruffling her hair.

She leaned up, pulling him down a little to give him a quick kiss and turning to give Sans another. “Thanks, but...I’ll have to pass.”

Mutt shrugged, "Your choice."

“THE INVITATION STAYS OPEN,” Sans promised.

Mutt nodded, "Even if you just wanna watch."

“W-watch?”

“IT WOULD BE VERY GOOD,” Sans promised.

Kari meeped. Mutt chuckled, "Don't go keeling over on us."

“Hey, I’m not the one that was the blushing virgin,” Kari protested.

“I SIMPLY HAD TO PICK THE RIGHT PARTNER,” Sans sniffed.

Mutt choked on laughter, "That is an important part."

“ONLY THE WORTHY CAN TOUCH ME!”

“Of course,” Kari agreed teasingly.

"You do know you're fallin' in that category anymore yeah?"

“What?”

"Worthy."

Sans smirked and walked over to pull Kari into a hold. “THAT IS TRUE.”

Why did their attention burn so much? She wanted to squirm and press against them, and stay still, and run away all at once.

Mutt watched, she was still skittish. Whatever had happened, or at least Muffet thought might have happened, had messed with her senses. He wondered...maybe he should try and find books about the old ways of courting. She might be more appreciative of simple things. Sans nuzzled Kari as he watched Mutt. It was good when all three of them were together.

Mutt relaxed watching the two interacting. They looked good together like that. He grinned, "Alright, if we're done out here for today?"

“TRYING TO BE LAZY AND ESCAPE TO SLEEP?”

“That does sound nice, snuggling together after I shower.”

Sans paused. That made scolding Mutt a lot harder to think about.

Mutt grinned, "See that I can get behind."

“LAZY,” Sans grumbled again. Kari gave Sans a quick kiss before slipping away, leaving Sans with a rather besotted look on his face.

Mutt just grinned, "She's got you tangled all around those fingers."

Sans whirled around and scowled at Mutt. “SHE DOES NOT!”

Mutt grinned, "I'm taking pictures next time."

Sans stalked over to Mutt and jabbed a finger at him. “YOU...YOU....”

"Idiot?" Mutt supplied with a crooked grin. Sans smacked Mutt with as much force as he could muster, fuming and blushing. Mutt stumbled a bit swaying with the hit. Oh that one burned a bit, how lovely. He shook it off turning back to his brother.

“COMPLETELY WORTHLESS,” Sans fumed. “I SHOULD REPLACE YOU WITH LESSER DOG.”

"Would you really?"

“HE WOULD AT LEAST BE LESS MOUTHY,” Sans complained.

"He'd be less likely to bend over to."

“TRUE.” Sans frowned at Mutt. “YOU’LL HAVE TO PROVE YOUR BENDING IS WORTH KEEPING YOU THEN.”

"Now?" He tilted his head.

Sans smirked. “WE HAVE TIME WHILE KARI SHOWERS. I WONDER HOW GOOD YOU CAN MAKE IT WHEN RUSHED?”

Mutt hummed, "Depends on what you want...could ride you, you could ride me...fucking the mouths a thing...."

“THAT LAST ONE.” It was new.

Mutt grinned, "Ok ok I get it. Finally got a way to really shut me up."

“MWE!” He tugged on Mutt to force his brother to kneel and undid his pants. “I’M WAITING.”

Mutt dropped without a fuss steadying himself with his hands on Sans femurs, "Wonder if I'll end up choking..."

Sans grinned and pulled Mutt’s head closer. “LESS TALKING. GET TO WORK.”

"as milord says."


	35. Guard Training

The trio piled in and around each other, Sans carefully ensuring that Kari was in the middle with him on top of her and plenty of room for Mutt to curl around both of them. And curl he did, a benefit of his stature was his ability to nearly dwarf most beings in height.

Kari hummed softly and shifted so she could press comfortably between the two bodies. “This is definitely the comfiest place I’ve ever slept.”

Mutt laughed, "Glad to be of service Teeny."

"YOU HAVEN'T DEALT WITH HIM WHEN HE TRIES TO DRAG MUD INTO THE BED," Sans said cheekily. "YOU'RE LUCKY I MAKE HIM WASH REGULARLY, THE DUMB MUTT."

Mutt whined, "Between the bones an' everything."

Kari laughed quietly.

"AS IF I'D LET YOU IN BED IF YOU DIDN'T."

Mutt huffed, "He says this like I'm a filthy animal." he totally could be...but really who was that anal?

"I FOUND CRUSTED HONEY IN YOUR SCAPULA!"

"It was from baking I hadn't gotten a chance to wash it out yet." He neglected to announce it was from the day prior.

"IT WAS CRUSTED."

Kari laughed. "Saving some treats for later?"

Mutt chuckled, "Sure, really just managed to miss it washing up."

"SOMEHOW I DOUBT THAT," Sans grumbled. Mutt leaned over and licked his brother on the cheek. "MUTT," Sans complained.

Kari giggled, braced herself, and tipped herself to lick whatever part of Mutt she could manage to reach. Mutt froze at her answering lick, looking at her with a mischievous expression.

Kari grinned back. "Hi."

"Hey." He snickered, "Know what they say about licking things?"

"What?"

"Its a claim." He poked at her cheek.

"Oh no, whatever shall I do?" Kari giggled. Sans leaned down to lick her forehead quickly making her giggle again. Mutt rolled his eyes dragging the tip of his tongue along the shell of her ear. Silly was good. She squeaked at the ticklish touch. Mutt chuckled at the noise. Sans kissed Mutt’s neck softly and glanced at his human. She was so sweet and soft. Mutt purred curling closer to the both of them.

“I love it when you guys purr,” Kari said softly. “It feels nice.”

Mutt blinked, "Feels, not sounds?"

“Yeah. It feels really nice when I’m touching you and can feel it.” Sans let out a low purr. Mutt joined in nestling the smallers closer to him. Kari closed her eyes relaxing at the feel of the soft vibrations running through her body. She was going to miss this when it ended.

Sans purred happily watching Kari drop slowly off to sleep. “She’s so different.”

Mutt nodded, "She is. It's a good different."

“Have you had any luck finding out more about...the seven souls?”

"Just that it seems...to be a consistent thing. I haven't hit the capital yet, but that is a plan." Mutt responded quietly.

“You’ll come back after,” Sans ordered. His brother would survive being under the queen’s gaze.

"Yeah yeah, not like I'm gonna go yelling through the streets."

“Good.” Sans nuzzled Mutt. It was always good when they were together and safe. He was glad they were able to return home unhurt more often. Mutt dropped a kiss to Sans' skull. He knew the idea would make his brother anxious, but they would be able to handle it.

Sans let out a soft satisfied purr at Mutt. They would be fine. He would be challenged, and he would win. Mutt would get into trouble, and Sans would drag him out of it. They would find out about the souls and the barrier, and get out.

Mutt nuzzled into the both of them dozing between awake and sleep.

Sans woke briefly in the night from an old nightmare where Mutt died in front of him and half shuffled to his brother to take in the comfort of his magic. Mutt blinked at the smaller skeleton in a drowsy state. He wrapped an arm around the other pressing his palm calmly to the side of Sans' ribs letting a small trickle of green magic coat his hand to help sooth. It was only a couple moments later that Sans sunk back down into sleep. Mutt was here, they were fine.

Mutt smiled and drooped back down content with the quiet. He nuzzled his head back down under the blanket and went back to dozing lightly.

“Saw that,” Kari mumbled. Her eyes peered half open in the dark before going under the blanket herself. “Soft under here.” She drifted off again, perhaps not having truly been awake. Mutt blinked and grinned nuzzling against her cheek in the dark. Kari pressed happily into his warmth. Mutt purred happily pressing a light kiss to her temple and dozing back off again.  
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Sans dragged Mutt out through the snow, occasionally tugging sharply on his leash. “A WEEK, AND DOGGO’S BARELY SHOWN ANY IMPROVEMENT,” Sans hissed. “IF HE DOESN’T GET BETTER I WILL DUST HIM TODAY.”

Mutt followed along letting the smaller vent. It would be counterproductive to get rid of Doggo, no matter how much the disability of the canine monster irked the Captain. Of course...he was expendable. There was a small chance Sans would go through with the irritated babble.

Sans entered the clearing and unhooked Mutt’s leash, darting across the field as he set to work preparing the traps for the guards. Shift this one, eliminate that safe path and cause them to have to fight through his bones, check the ice over there.

Mutt kept careful watch of the areas his brother worked. If he dropped a couple of things that would flash shiney in the snow to distract the canines, and it worked, who said they needed that position again?

Sans surveyed the obstacles and nodded. “GOOD.” He settled back and waited the half hour for the canine unit to show up. Greater Dog did detour to beg Mutt for a treat, much to Sans’ dismay. If Greater wasn’t such a power hitter he would have gotten rid of the goofball. Mutt shrugged tossing the dog a low level bone attack to play around with. At least it'd help up the damn thing's resistance. Greater barked joyfully and wrapped himself around the attack, chewing and growling fiercely. Lesser whined. 

"GREAT," Sans grumbled. "NOW THEY'LL ALL WANT TREATS." He cuffed Mutt, ignoring the begging eyes from the rest of the guards.

Mutt shrugged, "Shave thirty seconds off your time and I'll make one for you. If not, nah. Luck getting better."

The unit broke into a commotion racing into the course of traps. Sans watched them, impressed at the effort even Doggo was putting in. "HUH. HE'S ACTUALLY DOING BETTER TODAY."

"Motivation."

"SO THEY LACK A SENSE OF SELF PRESERVATION ON TOP OF THEIR STUPIDITY."

"Likely so."

Sans scoffed and looked at Mutt. "WELL?"

Mutt blinked, "Well?"

"START RUNNING." He summoned a wave of bones to throw at his brother.

Mutt sighed and took off, damn he had really hoped he'd get away with it. Oh well. Sans laughed as he sent attacks after the guards, sending harder attacks after his brother than any of the others. Yes, watch them run and scurry at his mercy! Watch his lazy brother sweat away under his command! He was the one with the power here!

From the same spot as they had been for the past few days the kid settled down under a bush, watching the training eagerly. Their eyes seemed to glow with admiration for Sans' strength. He suspected the kid was going to go to the guard after all.

Mutt popped up beside his brother, "What's with the extra set of eyes?"

"JUST A KID." Sans growled at Mutt. "WHY ARE YOU BACK HERE?"

"Figured I'd ask before hitting another round just in case."

Sans darted a suspicious look at the plush monster. "IN CASE OF WHAT?"

"It decides to talk." Mutt shrugged, he would be keeping an eye out. "Guess I'll go do another round."

Kids didn't approach him. Sans bristled even further, eyeing the kid monster in deep suspicion now. He finally called for a break after another two hours, giving them a few minutes to breathe. Sans didn't approach kids either. He didn't like killing them, and pretending he didn't notice them was a good way to avoid that.

Mutt seemingly ignored the critter for now, he had more things to focus on, like his brother interrupting his rhythm with a well placed attack.

"ALRIGHT, YOU'RE DISMISSED. DOGGO, KEEP UP THE IMPROVEMENT AND I WON'T DUST YA," Black shouted. The canines looked hopefully at Mutt.

Mutt flopped into the snow next to Sans, "Did any of them manage the half minute shorter?"

"DOGAMY AND LESSER."

Mutt nodded tossing them their own prizes, "Rest of ya gotta work a little harder."

Dogamy quickly ran off with his own treat, Dogaressa following behind. Doggo looked like he was trying to eye up Lesser to steal the treat from him. Sans laughed. Mutt shook his head, they would either learn or not. He wasn't breaking up their idiot squabbles.

"COME MUTT." Sans strutted back towards town. The kid watched both in awe before ducking back into the bushes and disappearing. Tension eased from Sans. Just a kid. It was fine.

Mutt shifted back to his feet to follow after Sans.

>>  
Sans surveyed the obstacles and nodded. “GOOD.” He settled back and waited the half hour for the canine unit to show up. Greater Dog did detour to beg Mutt for a treat, much to Sans’ dismay. If Greater wasn’t such a power hitter he would have gotten rid of the goofball.

Mutt took a deep breath, ok then...what an odd spot to happen. He dropped the low level bone attack to the begging dog monster and shoved his hands into his pockets looking around under the guise of checking out the obstacles. Greater barked joyfully and wrapped himself around the attack, chewing and growling fiercely. Lesser whined. 

"GREAT," Sans grumbled. "NOW THEY'LL ALL WANT TREATS." He cuffed Mutt, ignoring the begging eyes from the rest of the guards.

"Have them shave half a minute off their time if they want one."

The unit broke into a commotion racing into the course of traps. Sans watched them, impressed at the effort even Doggo was putting in. "HUH. HE'S ACTUALLY DOING BETTER TODAY."

Mutt hummed leaning down to Sans, "Not everyone is motivated just from your pretty face."

Sans startled and looked up at Mutt before remembering they were in public and hitting Mutt. "IDIOT MONGREL!"

Mutt stumbled, "Sorry M'lord."

"YOU SHOULD BE. GET OUT THERE AND START RUNNING!" Sans sent sharper bones than normal at his brother in retaliation for his brother flustering him.

Mutt dodged taking off for the start of the obstacles with a small grin.

Sans set sharp attacks, pushing his brother harder than he pressed the other guards. A rush of power ran through him. He allowed them to be able to dodge, but he could change that and kill them. He watched, pushing them for a solid couple hours before allowing them to take a break.

Mutt huffed coming back over to his brother, "That worked up over a couple of words?"

"NO! OF COURSE NOT!" Sans bluffed.

Mutt hummed with a sly little look , "Alright so try a little harder next time...sorry to disappoint."

"MWE! BREAK'S OVER!"

Dogamy growled. "Really Mutt? Gotta tick off your owner?"

Mutt flipped the finger, "Don't see you earning any favors."

“What favors?” Dogaressa jeered. “Being beaten up by your brother?”

Mutt shrugged, "Least I have enough attention to get beaten. Don't see you corralling anything through the streets despite having a mate." The dogs growled hard.

“THAT’S ENOUGH,” Sans snapped. “BACK TO WORK.” Mutt tilted his head, perhaps that was going too far. Eh they'd get over it.

The guards snappishly went back to the obstacle course. Sans watched until he was satisfied and called them off, Lesser and Doggo looking to Mutt hopefully while Dogamy and Dogaressa growled in the back. That was the problem with having a smarter pair in his guards.

Mutt looked to his brother, "Anybody get that speed down?"

“LESSER AND DOGAMY.” Despite himself the dog monster perked up.

Mutt nodded tossing out prizes to the two, take it or leave it.

They both took it, Dogamy quickly running off with Dogaressa following. Sans watched the canine unit split up before turning and strutting back towards town. Mutt glanced around again before following after him.

Sans looked at Mutt. Should he do something for Mutt in exchange for his teasing?

Mutt shot his brother a questioning look back. What was the other thinking?

“I’M THINKING YOU DESERVE A RESPONSE.”

"A response M'lord?"

Sans smiled slyly. “YES. SOME MOTIVATION.” Mutt didn't quite stumble, but he certainly broke stride for a step. “MWEHEHE.”

"Whatever you see for M'lord."

Sans grinned. “YOU DID SAY MY FACE WAS GOOD MOTIVATION.”

"I did." He meant it too. Mutt had kept from falling more than once thinking about Sans over the years. Sans stopped in one of the rabbits’ stores and purchased an orange bisicle. He broke it in half and languidly began to lick and savour the cold popsicle. Mutt knew this trick. He shouldn't be bothered by it, but dammit that was just below the belt.

Sans watched Mutt, enjoying the rise he drew out of him as he sucked on it. “ENJOYING YOUR REWARD?”

Mutt shoved his hands into his pockets and grinned, "A test of my restraint M'lord."

“GOOD BOY.”

Sans went out later to do his own private training. He was halfway through his training when he noticed the kid was back. “GUARD TRAINING IS OVER,” he said to no one in particular.

“Oh..,I missed it?” Temmie sighed. “Aw.”

Sans nodded and turned to resume his training. “Captain?” Temmie piped up.

Sans turned and glared at the annoyance. “WHAT?”

“How do I become like you? You’re really strong and respected and you’ve even got pets!”

Sans preened. “WELL YOU MAY NOT HAVE MY INNATE CHARM, BUT YOU CAN LEARN TO DESTROY YOUR ENEMIES.”

“Wow!” They gazed up at him. Sans could practically feel the awe radiating off them. “It has to be so amazing to be you!”

“IT IS INDEED!”

“So How did you do it? How did you get two pets and become the captain of the guard?”

“MWEHEHE! YEARS OF WORK AND TRAINING! AND MY BROTHER IS AN IDIOT. COMPLETELY BELIEVES IN FAMILY LOYALTY. IT WAS EASY TO ENSLAVE HIM AS MY PET,” Sans boasted. “FINDING SOMEONE WHO GIVES LOYALTY LIKE THAT IS A SMART FIRST STEP.”  
“And your second one?”

“MWEHEHE! TRAPPED AND BROKE HER MYSELF!”

“Wow!” Temmie waved their paws. “That’s so awesome! I’m gonna do that too!”

Hm. Weren’t kids supposed to not get involved with pets? Sans had a feeling this was a bad idea. “RIGHT.”

“So, I’m going to try and come again to the next training! Thank you Captain!”

Sans grunted, relieved the kid was leaving. As soon as he was sure he was alone again he resumed training.


	36. Confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some references to medical experimentation

Mutt leaned in the corner of the room. He had started the rumor mill earlier asking a couple of well aimed questions to some less than savory characters. 

And now, now he sat collecting the run off of what everyone thought. So many different outcomes, but lots in common, children's deaths...seven souls, the mad queen and her quest for revenge against the humans (and any monsters that opposed her badly run system). 

But nothing on how it actually worked yet, at least nothing of substance. Ideas floated like smoke in a blizzard, too entwined with other’s opinions to be viable on their own and mostly hidden. Someone had mentioned the labs and Undyne's crazy ass. He didn't want to go there...nasty memories lined the hallways of the labs. But if he had to...he would rather go than send Sans. At least he knew some of the horrors that lurked in said halls.

"It took seven to make the barrier, didn't it?"

"Seven humans to make it, seven to break it."

"No, it was six to make it, that's why it's seven. So it's one more!"

"The queen already has all the souls she needs. She's just biding her time before crushing us all!"

"Undyne's looking for a skeleton."

None of that was anything new...until that last one. Was she really looking for one of them, or was it just some bullshit drunk that saw him leaning back here in the corner and decided to try and scare him off? Fuck...he'd have to look into it...he couldn't let Sans get involved in that kind of fuckery.

The lab looked as intimidating as always, lined with barb wire and sharp scraps of metal. The building perhaps would have looked more impressive if it wasn't coated with red rock dust and some corners with more suspiciously grey flecks. A couple of monsters that looked partly experimented on patrolled around it, the knight knight swaying slightly to the controlling music playing through her.

Mutt sighed looking at the building, it had been years since he had passed through those halls and he hadn't exactly ever wanted to come back. Hopefully Undyne's office was still in the same spot...or he was about to scare the soul out of some poor underpaid intern. He popped into what had been her office landing in silence.

Undyne had been sleeping in front of the multiple monitors she used to watch everything around Hotland (she wanted to expand further, but all attempts to do so usually ended with her minions dusted and equipment destroyed). She jolted up knocking over papers and her latest plans.

"Papyrus? What are you-oh." The fish woman grinned. "So you did get my little message. I thought it'd take longer."

He raised a brow pulling out a dog treat and lighting up, "I actually took the time to debate if I was gonna show or not..." he glanced around, "wasn't a lot of info on what the fuck you actually need."

"Right." Undyne locked her hands together, ignoring the faint way her claws dug into her hand. She wouldn't fidget in front of him. "I know what you and Sans have."

Mutt plopped himself onto her desk, "Alright 'Dyne you think you know something. So you think you can barter it. Whatcha want?"

"The human of course. Do you have any idea how many experiments I could do with one?"

"Not happening."

"Well then I suppose you aren't curious about the rumors around the queen." Undyne fiddled with a pen pretending to be disinterested.

Mutt grinned, "Aw ain't that cute? You think I have any say in what happens with the human? It belongs to Sans."

"That's funny, I thought you didn't want me to talk to Sans," Undyne shot back. "Of course, I could always invite him here. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to learn more about his brother's past."

Mutt bit at the end of the dog treat a lazy smirk crawling over his face, "Make it worth my time to ask him. It'll put me out, having to question."

Undyne growled and looked to her tablet. Sadly she still hadn't found a way to circumvent Mutt's "shortcuts". She couldn't figure out what he was doing when he did it, and nothing she used seemed able to track him. It was like he temporarily stopped existing, or like a glitch in existence that insisted the previous data was wrong. Undyne had given up when one machine insisted that Mutt was actually in both places at the same time for a couple seconds around a shortcut. "Fine. Then a sample from you." They both knew Mutt had been under enough experiments neither understood to make knowledge from that worthwhile.

Mutt shrugged, "Fine by me. You have something in mind...not trying to saddle me with support payments right?"

“No. I am hoping to stabilize the amalgamates enough for them to take over. And you should be dead.”

Mutt raised a brow at her, "And you think using magic from me will accomplish that? Stability for your little melted abominations...best of luck with that."

“At least I might learn why you’re a dead man walking.” Undyne stood up. “Come on, I’ve got tests to do if we’re going to seal this deal.”

"Just to be clear, you take a little pinch...and stay the fuck out of M'lord's business." He grinned letting smoke seep around his teeth, "I'm sure you'd be fine with my number right? Phone's mine you aren't getting it otherwise."

“Of course,” Undyne agreed easily. “A pinch.” She entered a room and gestured to a table with straps.

Mutt rolled his eyes flopping into a semi reclined position, "We both know those wouldn't do a damned thing."

“Humour me.” She only did the wrist straps before bustling around the room, setting a couple different machines to scan him before grabbing a needle.

Mutt tapped a foot impatiently, this was not part of the plan for today. Sans was going to be irate with him when he fessed up, and he would be fessing up... probably to a lot of stuff. He sighed damnit Undyne, "Takin' your times Scales."

Undyne stuck the needle in Mutt and drew out a careful mix of Mutt’s magic and body. She squinted at it before deciding that was satisfactory and I did the straps. “The Queen does have six human souls and is looking for a seventh. When she does get one the barrier breaks and we go to war.”

"And you know this for sure?" Mutt fingered the space the needle had punctured, that had always been a weird feeling.

“Who do you think the queen started sharing her plans with after Alphys died?” Undyne asked bitterly.

"Ouch, crazy ramblings." Mutt shook himself.

“And her belief that Captain Sans is out to get her.” Undyne shook her head. “But you never seemed interested in the souls. Not since...”

"Sans ain't going to directly go after her. Nasty talking about these things if that's where your loyalty lies."

Undyne shrugged. “I have my experiments. What do I care outside that?”

"Crazy woman. Lemmie see your phone." Mutt responded sitting crosswise on the table. Undyne pulled out her phone and held it out. Mutt took it and carefully tapped away plugging in his own number, "Might be a little slow going through individual settings, but if you need it, it's there." He tossed the device back to her with a grin.

“Got it. Now get out of here unless you want to help.”

Mutt groaned, "Actual work? Nah, I'm out. Have a feeling I'll be seeing you around though." 

He popped back out of the space heading home. He should warn Sans Undyne knew.  
>>>>>>

Mutt popped into the living room landing with a small bounce on the couch. Oh, this would be a fun conversation.

Sans looked over at Mutt from where he seemed to be doing a yoga pose of some sort. A very creative one. Sans quickly scrambled to undo the pose and look back over at his brother. "REPORT!"

Mutt rubbed a hand over his face, "Undyne knows about Teeny. Queen has six of seven souls and plans to wage war against humans upon breaking the barrier...but I'm not sure she understands their numbers. And if what Teeny says is true, there's no chance there."

Sans growled. "WILL UNDYNE TELL THE QUEEN?"

"Not if she's wanting to keep using samples from me she won't." Mutt responded with a sigh.

“SHE WHAT?” Sans hurried over to Mutt and checked him over fussily.

Mutt waved him off, "Undyne's nothing. Or at least that was nothing. I know better than to bargain things with her that could lead down dusty roads. But she did try to blackmail me, and in a way it kind of worked so we have some things to talk about."

“SPEAK.”

"Pre incident me, used to do a lot of volunteer work at the labs. Lot of it was nasty, kinda altering...part of it is why I'm good with tracking. One of those things went sideways and everyone's...I don't know...brighter than before? It's weird to describe, different energies just stand out more than they did." 

Mutt scrubbed a hand over his face, "Point is...lotta stupid decisions went into making things work for us back then and I didn't say anything. Undyne tried to lord it over me as a way to get information from you."

Sans Checked Mutt. “YOUR CHECKS ALWAYS COME BACK FINE.”

"I'm aware. Whatever happened...just enhanced what was already there. I still know it's your soul I'm sensing... it's just clearer. It's easier to tell where you are exactly when you're close."

“ANYTHING YOU’VE BEEN TAKING CARE OF WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE?”

"In what way?" Yes, probably yes.

“MUTT,” Sans growled. “WHAT. HAVE. YOU. BEEN. HIDING.”

Mutt sat up, "I used to be a huge presence in the rings, I 'volunteered willingly' in the labs, did a big stint of time dusting idiots around Muffet's when she was first opening the parlour. I've probably spent more time than strictly necessary in the capital gossip hot spots...You pretty much know the rest."

Sans took a deep breath, then reached out and cracked Mutt’s arm, creating a large fracture down it. “I MEANT FOR YOUR HEALTH.”

Mutt hissed at the fracture, "Nothing really. Came right to you from the labs. Just the normal LV spike aggression and the smoking. Try not to let anyone else hurt. You caught me before I did more than a couple fights in the rings this time."

“AND NOTHING YOU’VE BEEN DOING OVER THE YEARS TO HANDLE EFFECTS FROM THE LAB?”

Mutt shrugged, "Not really...anything to do physically. Dog treats help keep any twitches down. Everything else is...mental or just hyperactive magic. Easily enough burned through with the shortcuts and training."

Twitches. And Sans didn’t know if that was from his head injury or earlier. At least it sounded like Sans’ insistence to push Mutt on training had helped keep his magic under control. Sans finally let himself relax and nuzzled against Mutt. “DON’T HIDE THINGS LIKE THAT. YOU’RE MY PET. I LOOK AFTER YOU.”

"Been the older brother longer than the pet...some habits are harder to dust than others." Mutt nuzzled back. Sans blinked. He loved Mutt so, so much. This was why. Even after everything Mutt was still his big brother. He still looked after him, even if it was in stupid ways and Sans wanted to help. He grabbed Mutt and pulled him into a kiss.

Mutt grinned kissing back, "Not exactly how I thought this would go."

"WHY DO I LOVE AN IDIOT?" Sans complained.

"Shitty luck?"

Sans promptly bit him. Mutt yelped trailing off into a soft moan at the end.

He nuzzled Mutt. "MY IDIOT."

Mutt nodded nuzzling back, "Yep, yours."

Sans kissed Mutt, taking his time to savour the feel of Mutt's fangs and and how he melted against him. And melt he did, slumping into the couch tugging the smaller with him.

Sans climbed on top of him and curled happily into Mutt. "STAY WITH ME."

Mutt chuckled, "Where else am I gonna go? You're the boss." Sans let out a grumpy sounding huff as he relaxed against Mutt, listening to the comforting hum of his brother's magic. He was alive, despite his stupidity. They were still together. Mutt snuggled into the couch careful of the fractured arm trapping Sans against the back of the furniture, "You're the only thing that's kept me here you know?"

"AND I'LL KEEP DOING SO UNTIL WE REACH THE SURFACE AND DIE OF OLD AGE." He wasn't letting go of Mutt for centuries.

Mutt chuckled, "Here's to hoping I don't fuck that up then."

"I'LL DUST YOU IF YOU TRY TO," Sans threatened.

"Counting on it." He replied curling to press his face into Sans neck.


	37. Rewards

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sex in this chapter

It had started out with a normal Napstaton marathon, Kari torn between staring at the screen and hiding her gaze in Mutt while Sans alternated between nuzzling them and bouncing on the edge of his seat.

"And now for all my fans out there! I have an announcement! A new concert will be hosted down in Hotland! In my New! Napstaton Warranted Stadium!"

Sans shrieked in delight and jumped up. "PAPYRUS! THERE'S GOING TO BE A CONCERT!"

"Tickets will be selling hot and fast! Be quick or you might just have to kill for one!" Napstaton continued.

"WE HAVE TO GET TICKETS!"

Kari rubbed at one of her ears. "Think I just went deaf."

Mutt was already tapping away at his phone screen. He barely looked up before murmuring a quiet "I'll be back."

Sans whirled around. “WHERE ARE YOU GOING?”

Mutt raised a brow stopping just short of popping out, "You want to go right?"

“OF COURSE!” His eye lights sparkled like stars. “IT’S NAPSTATON!”

"Then let me take care of arrangements." Mutt responded standing from the couch to stretch. "Like I said I'll be back." He popped out of the room leaving the other two watching the still running marathon.

Sans squealed and danced around the room before grabbing Kari in a tight hug. “WE’RE GOING TO SEE NAPSTATON!”

“I still need to breathe,” Kari choked out. Sans nuzzled her.

Eventually Kari managed to escape and get outside for some fresh air and space. Sans refused to leave the living room, glued to the screen and bouncing around at random intervals. She knew he was energetic, but Kari was positive she was going to have bruises tomorrow from Sans’ very enthusiastic affection.

>>>>  
It was late in the night and Sans had switched over to weight lifting the couch to help burn off his excitement as he waited for Mutt.

Mutt had stayed to watch a bunch of the idiot class fight it out over specifically numbered tickets. He himself hadn't cared, other than having gotten a decent seat in a not so suspicious area just in case someone noticed Kari. He had mostly expected to come back to Sans having followed his routine. So flopping half off of the misplaced couch startled him.

Sans felt something shift on the couch and paused. “MUTT?”

Mutt peeked over the edge of the couch, "You're...bench pressing the furniture?"

Sans quickly grabbed the couch with his magic, hoisting it higher as he came out from under it so he could climb up and grab Mutt. “DID YOU GET THEM?” He shook Mutt in his excitement.

"Course I did, wouldn't be back here if I didn't. Made sure it'd be back just far enough not to endanger Teeny, and still be close to the action." Mutt replied patting the younger on the head.

Sans pulled Mutt into an aggressive kiss. “YOU HAVE CERTAINLY EARNED YOURSELF A REWARD,” Sans purred. “PICK A FANTASY WE HAVEN’T DONE.”

Mutt hummed, "Does it have to be tonight?"

“NO,” Sans said. “BUT WE WILL BE HAVING SEX.”

Mutt purred, "That's fine. Gives me time to figure some things out."

Sans pushed Mutt down and climbed on top of him. “FINE.” He set to work stripping Mutt, taking the time to nip at his bones as he went.

Mutt shuddered under the onslaught, shimmying out of the loosened clothing.

Sans hummed happily and immediately started thrusting his own cock against Mutt’s bones. “YOU ARE SO GOOD,” Sans purred. “YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.”

Mutt shuddered magic snapping into place, "Always do."

Sans purred in pleasure when he saw what Mutt had done. “ANOTHER TREAT FOR ME?” He slipped his cock between Mutt’s folds but didn’t slip inside him quite yet, working them both up further.

"Seems to be a theme." Mutt responded voice catching at the movement. Hadn't done this in awhile...geez that was sensitive.

Sans purred and shifted so he could slip into Mutt fully, barely slowing down as he did so.

Mutt keened at the intrusion gripping onto the arm of the couch behind his head.

Sans chuckled and kissed Mutt. “STEADY. WE’RE JUST STARTING.”

Mutt kissed back scrambling for some sort of leverage in the position, "Been a few years."

“FIRST FOR ME.”

Mutt nodded sucking in a breath, "Have at it, but remember not everyone goes so rough."

Sans nodded and started thrusting. Wow, this felt good. Definitely another tick in the list of "things he wanted to do again". "LOVE YOU PAPYRUS."

Mutt curled up to press a kiss to Sans' mouth, "Love you too."

Sans grinned, returning the kiss. This was going to be great.  
>>>>>>

Kari slipped over to Muffet's, which thankfully hadn't quite shut down for the night, though it looked like the customers were starting to be chased out. She knocked at the door and peeked in.

Muffet whipped around at the sound of the door a napkin each in several hands and a warm basin of soapy water in one, "Oh Kari dear, what are you doing here so late?"

She smiled as winningly and charming as she could manage. "You don't happen to rent places to sleep for a night, do you?"

Muffet frowned setting down the bowl one set of arms resting on her hips and another crossing "What did those two idiots do?"

"Have sex so loudly I can't sleep," Kari admitted. "And they don't sound like they're slowing down anytime soon."

Muffet blinked, "And you are not taking advantage?"

"Take advantage?"

Muffet twittered a laugh, "Oh Stars Kari Dear! You aren't fucking them!?"

She blushed. "No!" She thought about it, but she hadn't done more than kissing them yet.

Muffet grinned widely, "Oh why ever not?"

"Because..." She didn't think she could walk away from them if she ever did.

Muffet sighed motioning her over to a table, "Would you like something warm Kari Dear? You look a bit chilled."

"Sure. Hot chocolate?" Kari stepped in and pulled out some gold.

Muffet waved the pouch away, "No need for that. I'm about to burn your ears off so it's the least I can do." 

A group of spiderlings hurried off toward the kitchens.

"Oh boy." Kari grinned. "Got stories to share huh?"

"Oh, well about half of the duo anyway." Muffet grinned back taking a seat primly at one of the tables.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say Mutt."

"As far as I'm aware Sans hasn't had any dalliance other than, apparently, Papyrus."

"I am not asking questions there." Or thinking too hard about the fact they were also brothers.

"While I do admit its unconventional, those two just seem to fit well together. It would be odd seeing them go separate ways because someone manage to get in the middle. They've always been close." Kari nodded. "The fact that he has indeed managed to gets Sans on board and seems so interested in you is quite an intriguing thought." Muffet giggled, "I was a bit of a fool, I confess, to get involved when I knew what he was thinking of." 

The spiderlings returned with a mug of cocoa and some tea, "Thank you darlings, off to your webs for the night."

Kari accepted the hot chocolate and sipped at it slowly. "That had to be awkward."

"Only the once, I never considered myself quite so small in stature as I did after that afternoon."

Kari reached over to pat Muffet sympathetically on the arm. "You can see why I'm not too eager to jump into anything."

"Oh my dear, if he already has Sans I suspect you have nothing to worry about from him. As a matter of fact you likely don't have anything to worry about at all, for someone with such high LV Papyrus is very quick to belly up."

"He is very gentle." And good for cuddling. Sans was like fire, hot and swift and thrilling, dangerous and protective. Mutt was much slower and gentler.

"For the most part yes, I have had to tell him to shape up once or twice." Muffet nodded, "But, on a purely physical basis, it is worth it."

"If only I thought they'd let it stay only physical," Kari sighed.

"You live with them out of convenience then?" Muffet asked resting her chin on a hand. "Hardly seems like they could force you into anything. I'm the one known for the potions and poisons."

"It was easier staying with them than being stuck where I can't run without protection," Kari agreed.

Muffet hummed, "Well you're welcome to stay here in the backroom of the parlor if you want. But even I don't have enough sway to stand against the both of them at once."

"No worries, I'll be heading back in the morning. I just need a good night's sleep."

"Oh course dearie, come along then." She grinned standing and heading back behind the bar.

"Thanks." Kari followed after Muffet suppressing another yawn.

Muffet led her to a small extra room, "You're very welcome dearie. If you ever need a place to stay the little ones will know to let you in from now on."

“Thanks.” Kari grinned and promptly curled up on the cot. The skeleton brothers were great, but sometimes she really just needed to be able to sleep.

Muffet nodded, "Blankets and pillows in the chest. Hopefully you get a good sleep." She turned on heel leaving the doorway.

“I’ll see you in the morning to see if there’s any deliveries to do.” Kari yawned, digging out a blanket, and cheerfully curled up. It was nice to sleep somewhere new after so long.


	38. Delivery Run

Kari woke up after sleeping longer than she had in ages. She listened to the noise outside as she casually straightened herself out before exiting and heading for a table. Kari nodded politely to a spiderling. “Morning. Breakfast donut?” The spider paused just long enough to show it hear her before it scurried off. 

Muffet come over setting down a cool coffee blend, "Good morning Kari Dear, better spirits today?"

“Yup! And hopefully Sans will have calmed down enough that he won’t suffocate me the next time I see him.”

"Oh dear, he was watching last night wasn't he? I suppose that was part of the problem."

“It was.” Kari grinned. “Apparently Papyrus succeeded in getting tickets. Sans decided he needed a reward.”

Muffet giggled, "No wonder you wanted out. All that whining."

Kari laughed. “So got any work for me today?”

Muffet hummed with a smile as a group of spiderlings brought the donut out, "You could go with a group to collect from the latest ring setup if you'd like."

“Sounds good to me. Where?”

"They moved back into Hotland after Sans caught them in the waterfall caves. Your team will know where to send you."

“What exactly would I be picking up from a fight ring anyways?” Kari asked curiously. She nibbled on her donut. Mm, still warm.

"Oh, just winnings. I place bets from time to time. Less so now than when Papyrus was regularly competing, but there's still money to be made in the sport of it!" Muffet replied cheerfully, "I'm needed in the back, you're welcome to head out whenever you like."

“Of course. I’ll see you later.” She waved cheerfully, taking her time finishing off her donut before heading outside. “Alright buddies, we’re going on another trip,” she called. “Down to Hotland and the rings. Who wants to come?” Kari's usual team showed crawled over along with a rather viciously glowing violet one that was almost speck small. Her normal larger buddy got to work on another bracelet to help with the directions. She absently petted the large one as she studied the glowing spiderling curiously. She was pretty sure she didn’t have a glowing one. “Are they new, or temporary?” She asked.

The largest just blinked at her and tugged on the cord for yes. “Uh, temporary?” It blinked at her again turning to look at the tiny glowing thing. Then it backed up and tugged on the no. “Ok, cool.” She headed off through Snowdin. “Sans changed up the traps leading to Waterfall. I’m betting at least one only tries to behead people that are taller than him.” One of the smaller spiders lost its footing and slipped down the front of her shirt. Perhaps it's way of laughing so hard it toppled.

Kari snickered, rescuing the spider and putting it back on her shoulder. She skipped between the traps, glad that the fogged path rarely changed. At least she had gotten better at going through there. She slipped into a side path to take her around the dump, even though that would take longer than normal. Today felt like a good day to wander. The newer ring was setup in what appeared to be an abandoned building. The stairs leading down into a sub-basement the only working entrance and exit. Nobody seemed too interested in manning who came and went from the bottom of the staircase to absorbed into their own activities.

Kari shifted her stance, pushing down the carefree ease from wandering to a more confident form that seemed ready to lash out if bothered. She stepped down into the ring, looking around warily. She was trusting her spiderlings to guide her from here. The larger one directed her through the crowd to what appeared as a ramshackle booth set up in a corner. Behind the counter an odd bird based monster that looked a bit like a flamingo sat flipping through a notebook.

Kari stepped up to the booth and flashed a smile. “Hi! Here to pick up Muffet’s winnings.”

"Ah Miss Muffet has a new face...is that a collar? I wasn't aware she kept pets other than that oddity of hers."

What oddity? Kari kept her face pleasant and calm despite her curiosity. “I’m not her pet, simply on loan.”

"Ah I suppose that makes enough sense now let's see..." the bird flipped through a few pages, "Aaaand that would be this baggie here!" He handed over a medium sized pouch slightly heavy on coin, "You staying to spectate they'll be starting some of the new pull ins before to long. Muffet would probably appreciate anything you could glean."

“I really don’t want to see what Muffet would do if I lost any of her money,” Kari excused. She dropped the gold in her phone, still secretly a little awed at that bit of magic.

"You don't have to bet to stay and get a little entertainment, but suit yourself. Cute little lady like you could find something to do easy." The bird shrugged and returned to crossing out names and scribbling down numbers in various books. Kari nodded and took that as her cue to try and slip out as silently as possible. She did not want to attract any unwanted attention. Or attention in general really.

Suddenly a very soft paw landed on her arm. It belonged to what appeared as a female fox monster. Her coat was sandy colored with small patches of slightly darker brown scattered throughout, and it was incredibly glossy, "Please come with me for a moment? I just need to use the stairs!"

Kari tilted her head. “Oh, are your legs broken?” She asked cheerfully in an oblivious manner.

"Not yet, but I try to go on my own they might be." The fox shrugged, "I like being in one piece thank you."

Kari carefully stepped out of the fox’s reach. “Keep up if you can then.” She picked up her pace slightly, watching the fox warily.

She happily trotted along behind Kari a tiny anklet clinking with each step in place of a traditional collar, "You don't have to worry about me, I'm not going to touch you again, I'm sorry I did it to start. It seemed to make you angry."

“I’m not angry,” Kari assured the fox faux cheerfully. “I was just surprised!”

"Oh! Well, I'm sorry to have startled you all the same. I know those places are...disturbing."

“Are they?” Kari asked casually. She hadn’t really looked around too closely. It had been a bit like being in a bad rave actually.

"First time? I hate it, my fur gets all matted and sometimes it's not even master's magic cause everyone's so close." She shuddered tail ruffling out and anklet jingling again. Kari nodded in agreement, though she didn’t really know what she was talking about. She didn’t know enough about magic to know how she should pretend to be reacting. She headed up the stairs quietly checking on her spiderlings.

The fox peered over her shoulder, "Oh cool! You caught some of them! I see these everywhere but they're so quick! Muffet pays people to bring the hurt ones back, guess it doesn't do her much good if they dust away from the shop."

“Probably not,” Kari agreed. “I’ll probably get a nice bonus for them.”

"Oh yeah, I bet! I wonder if they really understand people, rumor has it Muffet uses them to spy on people. My mom told me that some of them are venomous and she would call Muffet to send one if I didn't stay quiet at night as a stripes."

“I don’t know. They’re smart enough to help Muffet in her shop,” Kari lied. She looked back at the fox once they were both out.

"They do? I've never been out of Hotland...I just heard she uses the dust for the pastries. So you're from Snowdin then?"

“Yup..” Kari started to edge away.

A small black dog monster maybe a scottie if it wasn't actually a monster and bipedal popped from around the corner, "There you are! Gonna get us both in trouble you're late!"   
The fox shrunk down despite being a good head and then some taller than the dog. Who promptly grabbed both of their arms and began to drag them back around the corner where it came from, "Lucky you're so pretty master won't touch you with anything but untoward." The fox whimpered stumbling, clearly not wanting anything to do with the dog or its vice grip on her arm. Kari twisted and clawed desperately at the dog, trying to do her best to break it and get herself free.

The tiny glowing spider crawled out and disappeared into the black dog monsters fur. Not long after the grip went slack. It growled at her, "The fuck did you just stick in me?!" Kari didn’t answer, just swinging to punch the monster as hard as she could before jumping away.

The fox staggered with the hit as the dog pulled her down, she promptly kicked at it as well, "I'm telling Master on you! This will cost a whole new grooming session!"

“Hey buddy, you done with him so we can go?” Kari asked the glowing spiderling. She watched the dog monster for any more suspicious movements.

The spider shot a tiny string of web out to attach to her pant leg and pull itself to her. The fox blinked, "Ha! It's a spider. You're in trouble now!"

Kari shook her head and turned, breaking into a run. Thankfully she had water in her phone for this trip. The sooner they were clear the sooner she could check on her spiderlings. The larger one one gave her shortcut directions to dodge any possible crowds and the little glowing one scurried up her pants leg hiding in a fold of the cloth.

Kari stopped again once they were in Waterfall and took a seat. “Everyone okay?” All of the spiders crawled out to where she could see them nestling onto the web bracelet. Kari petted then each gently and peered at the smallest one. “So, Buddy here can paralyze someone?” The tiny one vibrated with enough energy it probably looked like it would take off flying if it could. Kari chuckled. “Good on you.” She pulled out her phone and quickly offered out some crackers to everyone. The spiders happily accepted treats, they were actually quite fond of this human that their 'mother' provided employment for.

“Anyone feel like taking a detour?” All of them settled back into their spots. She grinned widely, taking a moment to pet the glowing one again before turning away from the dump to go explore down the mushroom paths. It was hard to navigate, but that just made it more fun, tapping the mushrooms before racing to find the next ones before the glow faded. The spiders doggedly refused to give her any clues on which ways to go, instead leaving her to figure her own path through the caverns.

Somehow Kari ended up tripping down a path that didn’t have any mushrooms. She forged ahead for a while until the faint glow of crystals began to appear. She tilted her head as a sign came ahead. “Welcome to Floweytown?” The spiders didn't bother skittering away to hide, they were mostly unbothered. Kari continued down the path, and poked her head down into a cavern filled with...flowers. Huh.

One of them turned towards her, and she realized it had a face. “Howdy!” Several more of what she saw now were flower monsters turned towards her, bobbing and weaving with echoes of howdy.

“New friend?”

“New friend! New friend!”

“Shh, not yet!” Another scolded.

“Wanna trade?” a flower asked. Kari wasn’t sure why, but this felt oddly dangerous. The cavern of flower monsters were friendly, and very small, but her instincts still pricked.

“Got a gift for you,” Kari countered. She dug out her phone and took out a couple of the fruit she liked and rolled it towards the flowers. They chattered in excitement as Kari quickly turned back to where she’d come down.

“Okay, that was oddly creepy,” she muttered. One of the spiderlings skittered back up to her shoulder, seemingly perturbed by the encounter as well. She touched it briefly before continuing on her way back to town.

A few hours later she entered Muffet’s and pulled out the winnings. “Hey Muffet. Got your delivery! And a new buddy.”

Muffet was at her side almost as quickly as Mutt could have been, "So I heard Kari dearest, are you quite alright?"

“I’m here aren’t I?” Why was she fussing?

"And your arm?" She asked gently glancing at the spiderlings that dotted her clothing and arms.

“Uh, fine?” A bit bruised, but not bad really.

Muffet nodded hands already busily directing more tiny spiders along the floor, "Alright as long as nothing is damaged too badly. Here let me you something, would you prefer a candy or a drink?"

“I’m gonna get fat from all these donuts,” Kari joked.

"Nonsense, and even if you did there's no harm in a bit of weight."

“You would miss my business if I slowed down,” Kari agreed jokingly.

Muffet twittered a laugh, "I could always just employ you here in the actual parlor."

“Keep me here? You wouldn’t be so cruel,” Kari pouted.

"I never said keep, I said employ, cheeky child." Muffet replied patting her on the head.

Kari laughed and sat down, happy enough to accept another donut and nibble away at it, feeling the bruising on her arm start to fade. Monster healing was awesome.


	39. Cuddles

Kari entered the house and beelined for the couch to flop on.

Mutt might have heard her come in...and he maaaaybe popped onto the couch last second to pull her into a snuggle. Kari squeaked in surprise before peering up at him. "Oh, hey there."

Mutt grinned, "Little on the pitchy side there Teeny."

"You surprised me." She snuggled up to him and gave a quick kiss to his jaw.

"Ooooo scary skeleton." Mutt chuckled nuzzling into her hair, "Have fun at Muffs?"

"I found a town of flower monsters."

"Found the Floweys? Why were you that far out there?" Mutt asked rubbing a cheek into her hair.

"I was curious, and had the time to explore a bit." She hummed softly. "They were oddly creepy."

"They are...beady little eyes. They all feel exactly the same it's weird."

"I definitely don't think I'm planning on going down there again." Kari sighed and snuggled down. She loved how comfortable he was, even if she kept feeling like laughing at the fact she was snuggling a skeleton.

"They stay in there for the most part." He agreed.

"Really? Why would they do that?"

"Who knows? I avoid them."

"Think I'll be joining you on that," Kari joked.

"You're welcome to join me in anything." He purred back.

“Is that so?” Kari murmured.

"Mhmm." He hummed back melding into the couch.

“I could join you in being lazy, in teasing Sans, in watching Mettaton.” Kari paused, her voice dropping. “In bed with you both.”

"You've already done all of that...unless you've got some other definitions of a couple of those." He pointed out.

“I do.” Kari kissed him again a little shyly.

Mutt blinked a little taken aback at her sudden confession, but pressing into the kiss gently, "Then yeah, you're more than welcome in that sense too." Kari ducked her head a little, curling up to be hidden. Mutt chuckled curling around her, "Aw naw, don't be like that."

Kari nipped at Mutt. “You must be overjoyed. Another virgin.”

"I don't know why I wasn't expecting that." Mutt murmured nuzzling into her hair. "Doesn't make that much of a difference, just means you're still learning."

“Flash a smile, let someone touch my leg or breast, got a lot of mileage out of it. But I didn’t want to let anyone...”

"But you're ok with us? That's not something either of us are to keen on, forcin' the issue. We'd both love takin' some time to really work you over though."

“I think it’d be worth it with you.”

Mutt grinned contorting a bit to kiss her again, "Can certainly try making it that way." Kari kissed Mutt, lingering over it and gently probing with her tongue. Mutt let her lead, pulling magic into a tongue and coating the edges of his fangs keeping her from slicing herself. He purred gently as she explored. This was different from any humans she’d kissed. Gentler for one. Kari took her time before pulling back.

Mutt grinned at her, "Meeting the inspection standards?"

“Definitely.” Kari grinned.

Mutt snorted sticking his tongue out at her, "Better when you disagree and need to try again."

“I take it Sans has pulled that on you a few times?” Kari teased.

"Who says it isn't something I've pulled?" Mutt teased back.

Kari laughed. “You told Sans his kissing wasn’t good?"

Mutt visibly flinched before snickering, "Not a chance in the entire underground!"

Kari gave him another kiss. “Thought so.”

Mutt grumbled under his breath, "Just call a guys bluff." He grinned into the pressure of the kiss and let a hand slide down to settle at her waist, she was so soft physically compared to anybody else he knew.

"One day I'm going to find out how you manage to be so cuddly despite not having any cushioning," she murmured against his teeth.

Mutt grinned nipping carefully at her lip, "Ain't a secret Teeny." Kari grinned at the nip. She wanted to nibble back, but wasn't sure how to do that with his fangs. She tasted eagerly around his fangs, licking at them. Mutt cocked a brow at her, "Got a thing for the pointy pieces?"

"Maybe." She grinned. Mutt hummed leaning forward enough to just barely press the sharpened ends to her neck above the collar. Kari tilted her head to give him better access, gripping onto Mutt. "That feels nice," she murmured. Mutt nipped slightly, not enough to draw blood, and nuzzled against her jaw, totally enthralled with her trusting him. Kari grinned at Mutt, letting her hand trace down his chest to grip lightly at his lower ribs.

Mutt arched into her grip, "You would find something sensitive quick." Kari paused. She could continue. He liked it clearly. But...should she? Mutt tilted his head leaning just far enough to nuzzle her cheek, "Take it you've never been the one given the flash of smile, or ability to just grab someone?" He grinned lacing his fingers and tucking his hands behind his skull, "Your call Teeny. Do what you want."

Kari grinned, and leaned down to kiss him again. She slowly rubbed over his ribs. "Is this good?"

Mutt thrummed a purr, "Mhmm, stars your hands are small."

Kari grinned, deepening the kiss a little. "You like that we're both smaller than you."

Mutt shivered; maybe he did, just a bit. Made it fun that they were both small and capable of laying him out if they needed to. "Can't say you're wrong there." She enjoyed herself savouring the kisses and exploring where on his body he enjoyed her touches, occasionally giving light scratches. Mutt whined at a particularly sensitive scratch to a newer scar, "You can be a little harsher. Ain't gonna break me Teeny."

"Hate to disappoint you, but I'm not rough like everyone else down here."

"No, you're not." He chuckled pressing up against her, "Just want you to know your options." Kari grinned at Mutt and kissed him again. She definitely savored making out with him, feeling how he gentled himself and knowing that his teeth could easily tear right through her but wouldn't. Mutt grinned, and wrapped his tongue around hers playfully. He was having plenty of fun himself, trying to keep his cool as long as possible.

Kissing was awesome. Making out was great. The only real problem was it just got her worked up, rubbing herself against him in hopes that would help. Mutt nearly whimpered at the smell coming off of her. He pressed up, digging his heels into the cushions, letting magic snap into place to reciprocate. Oh. Oh that was a surprise. Kari grinned at feeling it under her even if she knew her ears were burning at her bold behaviour. “That feels good.” She rubbed against his hidden cock again. She could feel her heart pounding.

Mutt hissed out a breath, "Yeah? Good, not sure I could try for the other right now."

Kari kissed Mutt again. “You’d tell me to stop if you wanted, right?” She murmured.

"Course I would. Might even if I didn't want to, if I thought it needed to happen."

“Good.” She grinned at him, continuing to keep up the dry humping. She felt a little dizzy about it honestly. Mutt watched her moving, eyes flicking from her face down her body. He shuddered rocking with her, whatever under the stars had tripped this trigger was his best friend. He owed something out there a big favor. Kari finally stopped. Not because she’d had an orgasm. It was just too much. Instead she buried herself kissing him again as she tried to cool down

Mutt rumbled a soothing purr unlocking his hands from behind himself to pet at her hair and arms slowly. "Breathe deep, it'll calm." Kari smiled at Mutt and curled up, doing her best to ignore that she wasn’t alone in being worked up. Mutt hummed trailing his fingers along her chair, "You know Sans will be able to smell this...don't panic if he suspects something at first."

“Okay.” She could stay calm. Sans might hit Mutt but he wouldn’t hurt her.

Mutt dropped a kiss to her head, "You're still ok with how things went just now?" A warmth spread through her leaving her tingling and speechless as she grabbed onto him. He still cared. Mutt blinked confused. He certainly wasn't used to that reaction, "Woah there, that a yes or a no?"

“Yes.”

Mutt nodded, "Alright then. Long as I'm not blowing something up all over the lot of us."

“If you haven’t noticed my panic reactions tend to be running, not clinging.” And it felt warm that he worried.

"I've noticed, but it doesn't hurt to check." He replied booping her nose. Kari giggled and gave him a quick kiss before curling back up to snuggle. Mutt grinned curling around her to settle into a light doze as he held her.

Sans entered the room and paused. That wasn’t Mutt’s musk. He looked over to where the pair were snuggled together, marching over to poke Mutt. Mutt blinked an eye light up at his brother having been aware of him from the moment he entered.

“What Happened?” He asked quietly.

"She spent the night at Muffs...ran a job this morning, and came back in a good mood. Said she would be ok with things goin' further and stopped before hittin' a finish." He shrugged nuzzling into her hair, "Been like this since." Sans stared at Kari in a mix of hunger and anger that he hadn’t been the one home for her to go to. He had always planned to share with Mutt of course, but he still wanted it.

Mutt shifted, "Here, I'll make dinner. You stay with her?" He didn't really want to leave her after what had happened earlier, but Sans was safer than he was on a good day. If anyone could quell the protection instinct it would be him. Sans perked up, and picked Kari up. Who immediately flailed at being grabbed when she’d been sleeping, terror wide in her eyes before she recognized the feel of him.

“Oh, Sans. Hey.” Sans growled a little as he wrapped around her and sat down to hold her.

Mutt rolled his eyes, that was Sans alright. Quick and brash to the core of him, "I'm doin' dinner you're safe." He ruffled her hair and disappeared around the corner into the kitchen.

Kari grinned and cuddled into Sans, kissing him briefly on the cheek. That got his attention. “Hey there.”

Sans grinned. “HEY.” She nuzzled him, and maybe kissed at his collar bone a little bit. A little pleased sound escaped from him. Sans took the chance to capture her lips with his and kiss her. A surprised sound almost escaped Kari but Sans swallowed that down before pulling back and grinning at her. She shivered a little at his gaze. Sans noted the bite mark on her neck from Mutt. That wouldn’t do, would it? He placed his hand on her collar, renewing his own claim on her.

“That kind of tickles.” Well, not really. Kari wasn’t entirely sure how to describe how the magic felt.

Sans kissed her nose and pulled back. “GOT TO MAKE SURE THEY KNOW WHO YOU BELONG TO.” Kari rolled her eyes, but didn’t fuss at being claimed.

Sans was perfectly content to just snuggle with Kari and sneak in kisses whenever he could. Which were a lot more often than before. They even made out a bit. Kissing Kari was a lot different from kissing Mutt. He liked the way she seemed to fall apart with it. Kari was panting a little by the time Sans thought Mutt would be done cooking. “DINNER DONE?”

Mutt snickered popping to lean over the back of the couch, "Probably, did one of those throw it all in together things." He nuzzled into Sans' neck and leaned over to brush a kiss to Kari's cheek. Sans purred contentedly and picked up Kari to carry her to the kitchen.

“I do have legs you know,” Kari joked. Honestly, this wasn’t even the first time she’d told them this.

Mutt snickered moving over to the oven to pull out a baked lemon chicken dish, "You know I think he might have told me that same thing once upon a time."

"He would be easy to sweep off his feet."

"I'M TALLER THAN YOU," Sans reminded her.

"Not by that much." Mutt shot back starting to dish out plates.

"THREE WHOLE INCHES!" Sans shot back. Kari giggled and traced her foot up his leg.

Mutt shook his head grinning as he brought plates over, "Guess it doesn't matter, she has my number on it anyway." Kari giggled.

"WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?" Sans asked suspiciously.

Mutt shrugged, "Shes smart, devious little thing."

"HUMANS, TRICKY CREATURES." Sans looked at Kari half wary and half impressed.

"Just look how I got you two," Kari joked lightly. She braced herself, ready to move if they took the joke wrong.

Mutt grinned, "Oh, laying claims are we?" Sans looked at Kari, a hint of want and challenge in his gaze.

“Nope! No no, of course not,” Kari rushed out. “I wouldn’t do something like that.”

Mutt shook his head, "Pity, I could accommodate."

"YOU'RE BOTH MINE," Sans reminded them proudly. He would always be proud to claim them. Kari rubbed her collar. When did it stop feeling like a chain and more like something to remind her of them?

Mutt nodded bending to press a kiss to Sans' mouth, "Aware of it at all times." Sans grinned. He was going to have fun later renewing Mutt's Claim. Kari tucked into her meal continuing to watch the pair. They were pretty sappy for a pair of vicious killers. She still couldn't believe they'd drug her into their life. Or how easy it was for her to be there. Mutt curled himself onto the floor beside Sans's chair neglecting to use silverware like the chaotic heathen he was.

"MUTT YOU HEATHEN! DON'T EAT WITH YOUR HANDS!" Sans scolded.

"Less dishes." He reasoned plucking a piece off his plate.

"UGH THAT'S DISGUSTING."

"No worse than some of the places my mouth has been recently." He grinned back.

"YOU ARE WASHING YOUR MOUTH BEFORE YOU KISS ME AGAIN," Sans ordered.

"I don't know, I might take him as he is," Kari mused.

"WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT WHEN YOU COULD HAVE ME?" Sans argued.

"Good point."

Mutt rolled his eyes, "Sure you guys keeps your mouths busy. I'll stick to the fun spots."

"AND YOU THINK YOU'LL HAVE ACCESS TO ANY OF THOSE FUN SPOTS ON US?"

Mutt pouted, "Your loss if I'm given a choke chain."

"Ooh, sounds fun," Kari said brightly. Mutt sent her a wink.

“NO,” Sans decided. “MUTT YOU’LL JUST HAVE TO WATCH US HAVE FUN UNLESS YOU WASH.”

"Of course I'll wash. I'm not completely uncivilized." Sans eyed Mutt in disbelief while Kari giggled. Mutt sighed, "So little faith, and from my own sibling."

“I KNOW YOU,” Sans pointed out. “YOU DELIBERATELY SLIMED ME. MULTIPLE TIMES!”

"I've also helped wash up. And who, was the one that made sure you weren't skipping between the joints as baby bones hm?" He teased.

“PAPYRUS!” Sans immediately protested. “I’M AN ADULT NOW! GEEZ!” Did he have to embarrass him?

"A fact of which I am very much aware."

“Nicely developed, hm?” Kari asked. Sans flushed.

Mutt grinned, "Could ask to find out for yourself."

“Sounds fun.” Sans grinned at Kari. Mutt laughed under his breath, they were adorable.

Sans finished eating and bounced back to the living room. “NAPSTATON HAS A COUNTDOWN FOR THE CONCERT STARTING,” Sans squealed.

“Joy.”

"He's always been excitable when it comes to Naps."

“SHUSH! I’M WATCHING NAPSTATON!” Sans barked.

“Very excitable.”

Mutt straightened up taking dishes back to the kitchen laughing softly.

Kari grinned and settled down to lounge. This was good.


	40. Rewards

Sans tore through the obstacles he’d set up, the area around him almost completely destroyed. Even after that he was still vibrating.

“Wow mister,” Temmie’s voice piped up. “Did something happen?”

Sans turned to spot Temmie very carefully peering out from around a thick tree. “MWEHEHE! YES!”

Temmie grinned in excited confusion. “What, what?”

“I GOT TICKETS TO NAPSTATON’S CONCERT!”

Temmie paused for a second before their eyes went wide. “You did? Wow!”

“I KNOW!” Sans puffed up. “IT’S GOING TO BE GREAT!”

“That is so awesome! I mean, of course you get to go. You’re the coolest!” Sans preened at the praise. “I wish I could go to!”

“MWEHEHE! YOU’LL HAVE TO GET A LOT STRONGER FOR THAT!”

“Do you think you’ll actually talk to him?”

Sans barely contained himself. He would retain his dignity in front of the child. “I COULD!”

“Wow! And you don’t think anyone will be jealous and try stuff?”

“MWE! THEY CAN BE JEALOUS ALL THEY WANT. I’LL DESTROY THEM WHEN I GET BACK.”

“So! Cool!” Temmie’s eyes sparkled. “Yeah! And, and I could help the guard!”

Sans waved a hand dismissively. “YOU WON’T WANT TO DO THAT THEN. DOGAMY WILL BE IN CHARGE, THE IDIOT.”

“Not your brother?” Temmie asked curiously.

“NO. MY PETS ARE COMING WITH ME!”

“Wow! They’re so lucky to be yours!”

“MWEHEHE! I KNOW!”

“But aren’t you worried about taking a human with you?”

“OF COURSE NOT! WE CAN PROTECT HER!”

“Of course.” Temmie sighed. “I guess I’ll just have to watch the concert from the tv.”

Sans grinned condescendingly. “YES.”

SMUT STARTING>>>>>>>>>>>

Sans followed Mutt out down one of their patrol routes. "OKAY, YOU HATE PATROLLING MORE THAN NECESSARY. WHAT'S UP?"

Mutt tilted his head, "Don't really hate it, it's just boring for the most point. Though I did come with a reason."

"OH?"

"You asked about a fantasy." Mutt replied offhandedly.

Sans perked up. "I DID." He purred and stepped over to him. "YOU DECIDED ON YOUR REWARD?"

Mutt shifted the slightest bit, "I might have had a certain inclination...come out with slightly less than helpful thoughts."

"YES?" This was for Mutt. Sans would be patient and not push Mutt to hurry. Mutt snickered, apparently he would have to be less than subtle. He dropped down to a crouch, giving Sans a searching look. Sans looked at Mutt hungrily. "OUT HERE?"

Mutt nodded watching the other's reactions, "Yep, out here."

Sans looked around. "HM. I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU'D WANT TO DO IT IN THE SNOW, BUT I SUPPOSE THAT'S FINE IF WE CAN FIND A COMFORTABLE PLACE FOR IT."

"Less about the snow more about the possibility someone could happen by."

"W-WHAT?"

Mutt tilted his head looking slightly up at the other, "That a problem?"

Yes, yes it was. It would be very embarrassing to be caught, not to mention deadly. But...Mutt wanted this. And Sans trusted that Mutt wouldn't let them be endangered. Even if Sans could feel himself flushing at the thought of being found. "NO."

Mutt studied him, "Doesn't have to be that bad, not asking behind Muffs or anything. Just...not home."

A shiver ran down his spine at the thought of Muffet catching them. The spider wouldn't attack them, but she would giggle and make references. "I'M GOOD HERE."

Mutt grinned, "Cool." Sans took a moment to pump himself up. He could do this. He leaned forward and kissed Mutt. Mutt shifted from the crouch to his knees rocking into the kiss in the process. Sans pulled back a little to nip at his bones before kissing him again. He should lead Mutt off the path if he was concerned about being caught. It was just a little hard to think with Mutt there.

Mutt shivered at the sharp sting of teeth on his bones and repressed a whine. As much as he liked the idea...it was dangerous to be found like this in the open.

"FIND US A SPOT IN THE TREES," Sans ordered breathily. Mutt grinned leaning in to kiss the smaller skeleton again. He knew exactly where to go. He had maybe thought about this before. He snuck his hands onto the other's hips popping them to the area rather than walking, at least that wouldn't leave tracks.

Sans looked around, before turning back to Mutt. "YOUR STATION."

"It's far enough out, and I doubt anyone would think twice if they heard people around." He had passed time listening to things on his phone before.

"DO I WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I'VE ALMOST CAUGHT YOU JERKING OFF?"

"Do you want to know how many times you didn't notice?"

Sans paused. "YOU'RE LYING." He would have noticed Mutt doing it right in front of him.

Mutt shrugged, "Don't know, pretty easy to be quick and efficient when it's just you working yourself."

Finding out his brother had probably been masturbating to thoughts of him right in front of Sans without him picking up on it was hot and embarrassing at the same time. Sans growled and pushed Mutt down into a chair so he could more easily grind up against his brother as he kissed him. Mutt plopped into the chair with a grin and small noise of submission. Sans kissed him before trailing down to the Claim bitten in Mutt’s neck and biting it again, sinking in fresh magic despite it not being necessary.

Mutt tilted allowing the space for the other to work. The zing of magic pressing him sent his own reeling into place, well that was interesting...maybe he had used the feminine set enough to associate the spot with it subconsciously. Might be something to look into later when he wasn't quite so busy. Sans purred and wrapped his hand around Mutt's spine, squeezing it as he grinded into Mutt. Mutt whined gripping the seat of the chair for balance as he pressed back.

Sans let go to work open Mutt's pants and grinned down. "DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I THOUGHT YOU WOULD WANT." But hey, he could work with this. He pulled his own pants down as he worked his fingers in Mutt, teasing and slightly scratching around Mutt's inner thighs.

Mutt shuddered jerking into the attentions, "Might have association with the area."

Sans kissed Mutt. "SO ANYTIME I WANT YOU LIKE THIS I KNOW WHAT TO DO," he murmured. He lined himself up and slipped into Mutt.

Mutt whimpered arching, "Just say so."

Sans pulled Mutt into a hungry kiss as he began to thrust. "QUIET. DON'T GET US CAUGHT." Mutt nodded moving with Sans as best he could in the smallish space, hooking his fingers around his partners ribs. Sans moaned in pleasure. "PAPYRUS," he muttered. He let out another moan.

Mutt grinned slipping a hand up to Sans mouth and whispering, "Who's gonna get us caught?" Sans shivered in pleasure at Mutt's whisper. "Or maybe you like the idea? Show off just how much control you wield?" Sans thrusted faster into Mutt, eyelights sharp with desire. Mutt shuddered again gripping at his brother tightly. He bit down on his own arm to keep from alerting anyone by making noise.

Sans thrust happily into Mutt before finally cumming. He finally understood why Mutt took so many risks. It was addicting. Mutt whined around his arm Sans' orgasm pushing him into his own. He slumped back into the chair eyes hazy.

Sans kissed him languidly. "WAS IT AS GOOD AS YOU HOPED?"

Mutt loosed a small noise into the kiss, "Better." Sans grinned, utterly pleased that he had managed to blow past Mutt’s expectations despite having less experience than the other. Mutt grinned lazily and pulled Sans the rest of the way into his lap, "You indulge me so much."

“YOU DID SECURE TICKETS TO NAPSTATON.”

"Would have done that anyway and you know it." He replied prodding at the fresh bite.

"UNLESS YOU SLEPT THROUGH THE TICKETS BEING SOLD."

Mutt rolled his eyes, "Because I could do that with the excitement around it."

"CAN YOU BLAME ME? IT'S NAPSTATON!"

"Don't blame you, it's probably gonna be a blast."

Sans squeezed Mutt with his excitement. "IT WILL BE!" Mutt grinned, happy to see his brother excited about something. "CAN YOU IMAGINE IF I WAS THAT FAMOUS? OF COURSE IT MEANS I WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH MORE PESTS, BUT I COULD DO IT." Sans loved attention and being praised, but he was very picky about who gave it to him and being left alone when he wanted to be.

Mutt snorted, "Who says you're not? It's just a different type of fame."

"TRUE! I DO HAVE FANS."

"And a reputation, and loved ones." Mutt nodded. Sans purred and nuzzled Mutt. Mutt nuzzled back, "As nice as this is...there's a patrol to finish."

“THAT’S RIGHT!” Sans shot up, tidying himself up with quick precision before darting out of the station. “COME ON!”

Mutt stood up grimacing a bit at the mess he was in, but setting his clothing to rights. Hopefully it wouldn't be too obvious...he'd never hear the end of it if someone called them out.


	41. Threesome

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kari finally joins Sans and Mutt in bed for sex

It was almost time for the concert. Just five more days. Sans had given up sleeping at this point, instead doing push ups on the floor to help contain his excitement. Mutt stared at his brother from the bed, this was boarding on ridiculous now. He had half a mind to call Muff and ask for a favor...and that was never a good idea. But Sans was going to run himself soul sick if he wasn't careful.

Sans looked at Mutt. “YOU’RE STILL AWAKE,” he noted. “ARE YOU EXCITED TOO?”

Mutt shrugged, "Yeah, but I'm usually up around now."

Sans paused to peer suspiciously at Mutt. “YOU’RE ALWAYS SLEEPING WHEN I GET UP.”

Mutt blinked, "I'm always laying down when you get up. Just don't always join you."

“MWE!” Sans scowled. “YOU SHOULD. IT’S GOOD FOR YOU!”

"That's always been more your style."

“LAZY,” Sans chided. He jumped up. “I’M GOING TO PRACTICE MY BULLETS.”

Mutt shook his head with a fond smile, "Just don't break anything."

“OF COURSE NOT!”

Sans still hadn’t slowed down when night arrived again. Four days left to the concert. Kari sat on the bed watching Sans work out. Mutt rolled his eyes when he popped in and Sans was still going at it. "Hasn't slept, has he?" He mumbled to Kari pulling her onto his lap.

Kari snuggled up to Mutt. “Nope. I don’t know where he gets the energy.”

Mutt shrugged, "Always been like that." Sans looked at the pair and grinned, flexing to show off. Kari blew him a kiss. Sans responded by running around the room before switching to showing off his hammer swings, minus the hammer. Mutt tilted his head to lean his cheek against Kari's hair. "Still up in an hour I'm making a run to Muff's." He half joked.

“Leaving me here with this? How cruel,” Kari murmured.

Mutt chuckled, "Didn't say I was staying there. Just making a run." Kari chuckled too. Sans did not stop going.

“He’s making me tired just watching.” And it wasn’t like Kari was lazy.

"Yep... really not so surprising he's top of the chain when you see things like this."

“Definitely,” she agreed. Mutt flopped the both of them over to cuddle laying down. Kari squeaked and giggled, shifting so she was more comfortable. Sans looked at the pair and raced over to join them hugging them both tightly. Mutt grinned pulling his brother in and dragging him to the bottom of the pile. At least he could make him hold still for a few moments this way.

“MUTT!” Sans complained. Kari giggled and kissed Sans’ cheek. “Hey there.”

Mutt chuckled, "Take a few."

“YOU’RE SQUISHING ME.”

“Oh no, we’re trapped,” Kari joked. “Forced to snuggle each other. What a terrible fate.”

Mutt rolled his eyes, "Yes, oh the horror of my need for affection." Sans growled grumpily but did turn around to kiss Kari and Mutt. Mutt grinned twisting to drape himself across them like a purring blanket. Sans kissed Mutt, putting his restless energy into showing affection to Mutt. Eventually Sans got bored of kissing and started deepening it. Kari watched, a blush slowly spreading across her face. This was normally when she left, but she actually just snuggled in and petted Mutt. Mutt glanced over to her without breaking the kiss and purred wrapping a lock of hair around a finger.

Sans finally broke the kiss only to swoop in and pull Kari into a kiss. She was completely flustered by how flattering the attention was and how his tongue felt in her mouth. That was taking a lot of attention. Mutt watched for a second taking in show quietly before he bent to nuzzle along her shoulder. Kari squirmed and let out a plaintive whine, pulling Mutt down. Mutt chuckled moving so Kari ended up stuck in the middle.

Sans pulled back and nipped at Kari’s lip, drawing a gasp from her as she looked at him. Sans grinned wickedly and kissed down her jawline to her neck. “Weren’t you kissing Mutt?” Kari gasped.

"For a bit, now he's kissin you. Funny how these things happen." Mutt teased touching his tongue to the tip of her nose. Sans reached back to grab onto Mutt’s ribs as he kissed Kari, causing her to squirm. Mutt hissed a breath out at the grip and retaliated by running the tip of a claw down the other skeleton's spine. Sans let out a low rumble and returned to kissing Kari. She shifted, glad they weren’t calling her out on how hot she was finding this. Sans was incredibly pleased with drawing that response from her. Mutt settled a hand on her waist fingertips brushing just under the edge of her shirt. How much would she tolerate from them before she ran this time?

Kari flushed, utterly embarrassed by how turned on she was by their attention. “S-Sans,” she whimpered.

Sans kissed her. “LET US TAKE CARE OF YOU.”

Mutt rumbled a soft purr from the other side of her. Maybe she would stay this time, she certainly seemed physically ready enough. Kari held tightly onto Sans as he grabbed her breast, tracing around her nipple before sliding down to her belly. She was almost burning at this point. Sans stretched up to kiss Mutt again before turning back to Kari. Mutt whined into the kiss and slid his hand up pulling her shirt with it.

Kari felt exposed. Not emotionally. She had felt that around them before, but this wasn’t the same. It wasn’t like when she was naked either. Maybe it was knowing what they were going for that had her squirming so much.

Sans worked on her pants pulling them away. “BEAUTIFUL,” he told her. Kari flushed, tempted to hide her face.

Mutt tsk'd tapping at her arms to get the shirt the rest of the way off, "None'a that shy stuff now Teeny. He's just being true."

“Who would have thought I would bone a skeleton,” Kari joked as she let him take off her shirt.

“NO PUNS IN BED,” Sans ordered as he nibbled down to kiss her nipples. Not wearing a bra had been a great decision today.

Mutt pouted dropping the shirt off the bed, "Aw that's a boring rule." 

He bent to her ear, "You been causing extra bones for awhile now, hes just cranky it's been so long."

“IF YOU WANT SEX YOU’LL FOLLOW IT,” Sans told him as he touched her underwear. She shivered. It was already a little damp.

Kari giggled at Mutt’s words and leaned back into him. “You got one for me too?”

Mutt chuckled, "Got whatever you wanna ask me for." Sans pulled Kari into another kiss making her moan as he stroked her folds through her underwear. This was definitely more intense than grinding on Mutt. Mutt watched the two of them hands running down Kari's sides to settle on her hips, from here it would so easy to just watch things play out. He nipped at her shoulder careful not to draw blood. Kari let out another moan that Sans eagerly swallowed down at Mutt’s nip before pulling down her panties. Who would have guessed that the first person other than herself down there would be a skeleton? Kari almost giggled at the thought.

Sans slipped a finger into her making her jolt in surprise. Sans paused and watched her. “That’s...different,” Kari managed.

“TOO MUCH?” She shrugged.

Mutt peered from her shoulder, "Keep a magic barrier around the claw edges. Less possible injury, and feels nice."

Sans summoned his magic and turned his finger. Kari jolted again. “Um, higher up.” Sans followed her instructions. “Y-yeah, right around there.” Sans grinned.

Mutt grinned playfully drumming his fingers along her skin. "So small it's almost scary." He murmured splaying a hand over her stomach. Kari laughed a little breathlessly and Sans took the opportunity to add another finger. She arched her hips up, trying to get more from Sans. She’d never been so glad she’d waited, or that she’d agreed that now was the time.

Mutt grinned nuzzling behind her ear, "Needin' something Teeny?"

“I was thinking,” Kari managed,” that I’m feeling a touch peckish.”

Sans grinned and slipped in a third finger. She was very wet now. “IS THAT SO?”

"Sure you know what you're asking there?" Mutt teased.

Kari tilted her head. “Maybe?”

Mutt nodded, "Sans, why don't you help a poor girl out?"

Sans pulled out his cock and grinned. Kari took one look at the fat purple dick and burst into giggles. Sans flushed. “WHAT?”

Mutt tilted his head, "You gonna breathe there hun?"

“It’s purple,” Kari giggled.

“OF COURSE IT’S PURPLE, WHAT ELSE WOULD IT BE?”

“Sorry, sorry,” Kari giggled. “Just surprised.”

“HMPH.”

"Its condensed magic, same as anything else we form. That just happens to be his color." Mutt grinned, "I happen to be partial to it."

“IT IS VERY REGAL.”

“Definitely.” Kari reached out to touch it gently and Sans took her hand to guide it in stroking him. Her face flushed.

"First time seeing one?"

“Nope. But first time touching one.” Did they really think she had never seen sex before? She wasn’t that naive.

"Always a first time for everything." Mutt mused watching the two in their play. "Nothing to be so flushed over."

Sans grinned and helped Kari guide himself into her. She gasped a little at the faint stretch before clenching down around him. “GOOD GIRL.”

Mutt traced a hand lightly down her back, "Tryin' to kill me between the two of you." Kari squirmed with pleasure, moaning as Sans began to thrust. He happily kissed across her chest and at Mutt’s arms where he could reach his brother. Mutt grinned and leaned over Kari drawing Sans into a kiss, and guided Kari's hands to sensitive areas on the smaller skeleton. Kari felt along Sans’ pelvic bones eagerly under Mutt’s guidance as her other hand gripped his spine just below his ribs. Sans moving inside her felt really good. She couldn’t wait to see if it would feel as good with Mutt. Sans kissed Mutt back hungrily. Mutt purred into the kiss hooking a finger around to draw a claw down the internal side of Sans sternum. His free hand drifted to tease where the other two were joined. Sans growled eagerly and Kari whimpered at the added stimulation. She knew that it took a while to get off, but she felt like she was flying having them with her. Mutt pulled back out of the kiss to pay his own attention to Kari's chest, poor thing would be exhausted by the time the two of them were done working her over.

Kari moved with Sans, a bit out of rhythm but she was getting better. “SO WARM,” Sans growled. “SO GOOD.” Mutt's purr deepened flicking his tongue across a nipple and trailing it up along her collar pausing to nip a few times. He was enthralled with the changes in her skin at the pressure, it reacted just that much differently than magic did; and it was intriguing.

Kari moved one of her hands to grab onto Mutt, breath quickening. Then she felt herself explode with pleasure. She saw stars as she felt Sans thrust inside her, his cock running along her sensitive insides. “Sans...M-Mutt...”

“PAPYRUS HERE,” Sans corrected.

"If she wants to use Mutt she can. Feels more natural than the given one anymore." He replied with a wink ghosting his teeth over her shoulder again.

“Ah, you don’t...like Papyrus?” Kari gasped.

"Not that I don't like it. Just...more used to everything but that anymore."

“Mm...you are...a big puppy for me,” Kari told him. Sans grinned and thrust forward letting himself spill inside her. Kari cried as she hit another orgasm.

Mutt grinned as well watching her expression , "Apparently it was the right thing to go with then." He nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck peeking at his brother from the corner of a socket, stars they were both beautiful. Sans purred contentedly as Kari shivered. She looked so good with his cock in her and Mutt holding her. He nuzzled her and kissed Mutt’s skull. Mutt purred back returning the affection with a gentle brush of his knuckles to Sans' face, and a kiss pressed to Kari's temple.

Kari flopped back. “So. We did that.”

Sans grinned. “WE DID.”

Mutt chuckled, "Told you you'd be welcomed in."

“Yup.” Kari twisted to kiss Mutt’s cheek. “I’ll want a turn with you too.”

Mutt grinned, "Just say the words and you got me."

“NOW WOULD BE GOOD.”

Kari turned, feeling Sans’ dick slip out of her as she faced him. “Seems good to me.”

Mutt rolled his eyes and teased, "Putting words in the girl's mouth Sans." He slipped back to shimmy out of anything he was left wearing and let his magic swirl into place. Well he certainly wasn’t as wide as Sans was. She would think that would leave her feeling emptier if he wasn’t also longer. Kari shifted so she could slide herself over his length, not letting him yet enter fully.

Mutt grinned at her, "Gotta work up the nerve or are you just cruel?" Kari grinned, taking one or two more slides before sinking down slowly. Mutt whined forcing himself to stay still and let her adjust at her own pace, "He wasn't kidding about warm..."

“You are big,” Kari said hoarsely. Sans brushed her hair out of the way to kiss the back of her neck.

Mutt nodded pressing kisses across her nose and cheeks, "You're doing real good takin' it Teeny thing." Kari smiled softly and kissed Mutt gently before starting to rock back and forth. Mutt purred rolling into her, "If you need to, brace on me. Things can get a little interesting." Kari nodded and grabbed onto Mutt. He didn’t feel as thick but he still felt full. It was really satisfying to feel him inside her. Way better than fingers.

Mutt grinned arching high enough to nearly take her off the bed. Kari yelped and laughed, bracing herself against him. He chuckled nipping at her chin and doing it again, not quite falling into a rhythm.

Sans purred and took the opportunity to work between Mutt’s ribs. Kari shook her head and kissed him. “Goof.”

Mutt whined at Sans' actions and nipped at her lips, "You like it, you both like it." Kari would have laughed had she not been caught off guard by his nipping, drawing a gasp of pleasure from her as she rocked down.

"MWE!"

Mutt gave his brother a grin, "You di-sagree?" His voice broke as she rocked down on him.

"LIKE YOU BETTER LIKE THIS," Sans countered. Kari grinned. "It is nice having you under me."

Mutt shuddered pressing a hand to her hip to help steady her as he rocked with her, "Nice bein' here."

Kari let out a soft sound and smiled at him. "Guessed that." Sans decided to take the chance now that Mutt wasn't bucking to pull Kari into another kiss that left her panting. Mutt grinned nuzzling between the two so he could listen to the buzz of Sans soul and Kari's heart racing. Kari leaned into the two skeletons. They weren’t solid, but they were real like no one else. She liked that. And Mutt felt good. Mutt purred hooking an arm around the both of them pressing to the both of them.

Sans decided to take that chance to press his magic into Mutt, utterly thrilled that they were all together. Mutt shuddered again a low whine building. Sans the cheater...he wrapped a hand around Sans tangling his fingers in the smaller skeleton's ribs. Sans was hard watching them, and having Mutt wrapped around his ribs only worked him up further. Kari thought she blacked out for a second when Mutt thrust into her, and almost collapsed on top of him before catching herself, shaking with pleasure.

Mutt kept an arm wrapped behind her just in case and nuzzled into her hair, "You doing alright there, to much?" The hand tangled into Sans slid along, trailing wingtips along the sensitive side of bones.

“Yeah, you just...hit something really good,” Kari said breathlessly. Sans rumbled with pleasure.

"Ah found it did I?" He teased trying to keep the angle.

“Seems so.”

Mutt reburied his face in her hair, "Smell good." Kari hummed, content to help Mutt hit the sweet spot again. Sans kept playing with his brother as Kari hit her second orgasm, her entire body clenching around Mutt’s length. Kari tightening down on him and the prolonged arousal from watching them before sent him spilling just a half step behind her with a quiet whimper.

Kari sighed contentedly and laid down on top of Mutt. Sans nudged him. “ROLL OVER, MY TURN TO HAVE YOU.” Mutt nodded and slid down to lay Kari on the bed forgoing moving much more other than keeping most of his own weight off of her with a mix of bracing on his forearms and leveling with her legs. Kari hummed, completely pleased with the position and happy to pet Mutt as Sans stroked around his brother’s coccyx, readying to work himself in. Mutt whined at the dual attention and the slow prep-work from Sans. This was all so soft it was nearly torturous, he squirmed.

Sans growled and promptly sheathed himself in Mutt. Kari’s eyes widened. “Oh wow,” she murmured. It was different watching it. Mutt arched with another whine pressing his face to Kari's skin. Sans went to work sating his appetite for Mutt. Kari looked beautiful holding onto Mutt and watching Sans take his brother apart. Her breath caught a little in her throat as she clutched Mutt, staring as Sans rode down on him.

Mutt panted lightly a bit overstimulated. He tapped Kari gently, "S-scoot up just a bit there." Kari nodded and moved obediently up. He grinned adjusting just enough so it would be an easy angle to work his mouth on her. He was known to be messy anyway, might as well work that to his advantage he tossed her a wink before drawing his tongue up the length of her sex.

Kari squeaked in surprise. She grabbed onto his skull unsure if she wanted to keep him there or push him away. It felt good, but she thought he was busy being pounded by Sans, and if he would just stop for a second she was sure she'd be able to think, but all she could do right now was hold on and moan under his attentions.

Sans growled and bit Mutt. "GOOD BOY, TAKING IT." Mutt whined against her at the bite one hand gripping at Kari's hip and the other flattened to the bed for leverage to push back into the movement behind him. "GOING TO RIDE YOU RAW," Sans swore. Kari flushed at the dirty talk, pressing one of her hands into her mouth to muffle herself. Mutt let loose a low moan pressing just that much firmer into her snaking his tongue into her and tightening down on his brother.

Kari had already gone two rounds, and feeling Mutt eating out her already sensitive pussy was having her riding out another orgasm. Sans pounded into Mutt for a couple minutes after that before finally seeking his own release. Mutt whimpered at a particularly hard slam from Sans pushing him over into another orgasm himself. He shook faintly laying his head back down on Kari's thigh. Sans settled down and curled around the pair with a purr. Kari just laid there panting, completely ready to pass out.

Mutt nuzzled against her leg wrapping an arm lazily around Sans, "Fun."

"Yup. That was definitely fun." Kari yawned tiredly. Sans snuggled down content to stay with them and watch them.

Mutt eyed his brother, "You're still keyed up aren't you?"

"DON'T WORRY MUTT." Sans nuzzled him.

"Always worried 'bout you two." Mutt mumbled back pressing a quick kiss to Sans' teeth and nuzzled back into his spot leaning on Kari.

"I'm beat," Kari mumbled. She pulled the blankets up and cuddled closer to the skeletons.

Mutt chuckled, "Sleep Teeny thing. You got guardians." Kari gave a tiny nod as she curled up. Her insides ached, but rather pleasantly, and their presences were...comforting. It was still funny to think that. She drifted off fairly quickly. Sans purred contentedly watching her. Mutt echoed the purr rumbling fairly loudly himself. He shifted so he was more even with the other two before snuggling back down arranging the blanket so it wouldn't slip. Sans watched her sleep for some long minutes, the manic energy finally fading as he laid in bed. He still wasn't truly calm, but he no longer felt the urge to move like he had earlier.

Mutt settled back sneaking a hand over to lay against his brother's sternum, Sans really did push himself so hard.

Sans shifted his gaze over to Mutt. "YOU CAN SLEEP TOO."

"Know I can, maybe I just wanna listen to you. You're both pretty loud being so close."

Sans sighed contentedly. "ALRIGHT." Mutt rumbled a purr again brushing the flat of a thumb along Sans' jaw. Sans watched Mutt, content for now to just stay there and let Mutt watch him back.

Mutt sighed, "You know, don't think I tell you how well you came up enough."

Sans blinked. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"

Mutt hummed quietly, "You know, you handle everything so well. I fell to pieces and you picked up everything and kept us both going...probably a lot safer way than I did too."

Sans hummed. “YOU DON’T CREDIT YOURSELF ENOUGH. I AM WHAT I AM BECAUSE YOU’RE WITH ME.”

Mutt rolled his eyes, "Sure, I'll not argue." He would probably be better off if he hadn't been picking up after his brother, but he wasn't going to put that to voice and undermine the others opinion.

Sans shook his head and looked at Mutt. “WHO ENSURED I KNEW I WAS GREAT? WHO STAYED WITH ME EVEN WHEN I WAS A BRATTY BABYBONES?”

"You weren't that bad a kid. Little bit of holy terror is good for the soul. If anything it kept me thinking about actual limits. Couldn't just be stupid and dust without making sure you wouldn't follow."

Sans grinned. “YOU SUCCEEDED. GOT US ALL THE WAY HERE. GOT US KARI.”

Mutt snorted, "Got you out of stripes, you took it from there. Maybe might take a little bit of credit just for seeing her first, but you...you're too charismatic for your own good."

Sans shook his head. “I WOULD NOT BE SO BOLD IF YOU HADN’T ALWAYS BEEN THERE. I KNEW YOU ALWAYS WOULD BE.” And what a difference that made in a world where trust was so rare.

Mutt nodded, "Always will be."

Sans purred happily. “ I LOVE YOU.”

"Love you more." He shot back sticking out his tongue and yawning.

Sans rumbled, radiating out contentment and deep love. Mutt smiled, quietly settling to drift between snoozing and keeping an eye on his brother. 

Perhaps about an hour later Sans finally calmed enough to drift off into true sleep, curled around his two lovers.


	42. Day After

Kari woke up snuggled between the skeleton brothers. Unlike the previous times this had happened she was completely naked (how had she not felt anything about being naked?) and had a solid ache between her legs. She blinked slowly. It seemed that hadn't just been a dream. Sans didn't even shift. Once he'd stopped his body took the chance to catch up on its sleep. Mutt stirred at the change in her breathing, nuzzling against her shoulder, "Back to sleep Teeny." 

Kari looked at Mutt feeling a touch flustered after last night. "Uh..." She was naked. Yes they had seen everything last night, but she still felt awkward now.

Mutt peered at her face, "You ok? Sore? Need somethin to help?"

"I." Kari paused, before deciding there was no roundabout way to say it. "I'm naked."

Mutt snorted, "Oh is that all? Happens when you fall asleep without getting redressed."

Kari giggled silently and pulled the blanket up. "I haven't slept naked since I was a kid. Feels weird."

Mutt hummed and thought for a second, "Hey can you keep a secret?"

Kari smiled and leaned up to kiss Mutt quickly. "Yup."

Mutt grinned and leaned over to her ear hushing himself, "We're all naked under the clothes, all day." Kari broke into peals of laughter then. Sans snorted before curling in closer to the pair. Mutt snickered pressing a barrage of kisses across her face and trailing down her neck, "Should keep you here like this more often."

Kari arched her neck slightly. "I was planning for repeat performances.

Mutt inhaled against her skin, "I could get behind that." That tingled. Kari shifted a little closer to Mutt, though she still kept the blanket close around her. Mutt chuckled wrapping an arm around her waist, "You a modest one?"

“Too little skin exposed tends to go over better than too much,” Kari quipped. And okay, maybe she was a little self conscious. She knew she was pretty, but it still felt awkward.

Mutt hummed nuzzling against her shoulder again, "Will keep the preference in mind. It bugging you now? Want a shirt or something?"

Kari closed her eyes. "It is still weird when you do that." Every time he thought about her, did things for her, it was a little jarring.

"Do what? The face thing?"

“No. I mean when you listen.”

Mutt frowned, "Course I listen. If I ever don't, make me. Or find M'lord and have him do it."

Kari laughed. “Right.”

Mutt poked her cheek, "Seriously, if I ever just don't...don't stick around to get hurt."

“O...k?”

Mutt nodded, "I'm not as high as M'lord...but I'm not immune to nasty spikes either." And he didn't have the loud brash attitude of his brother.

“Alright.” She gave him another light kiss. “I’ll trust you on that.”

Mutt hummed in content at the agreement, "Goin back to sleep, or should we risk poking the bear over here?"

“Let him sleep. He’s been going nonstop for ages.”

"He's excited, let him be happy." He snickered.

“I have no idea how you two are related some days,” Kari joked.

Mutt grinned, "Only two like us in the whole underground."

“Lucky me to find you.”

Mutt chuckled, "Kinda not that hard when my post is right by the ruins door."

Kari paused before looking directly at Mutt. “You were following me before I saw you.”

Mutt blinked, "Maybe a little bit... I was bored and you were different."

Kari chuckled. “And I thought I was being smart dodging being trapped. I never had a chance.”

Mutt shrugged, "You could have not agreed to anything. Could have slipped the collar and walked off on your own at any point." 

He nuzzled against her cheek, "Glad you haven't..."

“Got myself bound with something stronger than a collar,” Kari grumbled as she pressed against him.

Mutt blinked with a small start, "Oh you're not bound, least not yet."

“Still got time to run?” Kari half teased.

"Can't guarantee I wouldn't follow." Mutt responded back playing with a hair lock.

"What a sight that would be. A human, a mutt, and a tiny tyrant parading through the Underground."

"That'll be a thing at some point I'm sure."

Kari cackled. “Oh yes, the Tiny Tyrant And his loyal pets!”

"Saying you are?" Mutt teased.

Kari blushed. "Maybe." Mutt chuckled again, kissing her. That was one of the nicer things to hear. Kari lingered over the kiss before finally stopping. “I should find something to throw on so I can get up.”

Mutt stretched shivering slightly, "Wanna borrow something so you're not tracking through the cool bare?"

“That would be nice.”

Mutt nodded popping from the bed over to a set of drawers to find something for her, "Want me to make breakfast? Or are you just gonna grab fruit?"

“I can just grab fruit. I’m probably going to go visit my spiderlings.” Kari smiled fondly. Spending time with them was always nice.

Mutt nodded grabbing some warmer things from Sans clothing. It was closer to her size if she was going out he brought the stuff back to the bed, "This work for you?"

“Yeah.” Kari flashed him a smile before slipping out of bed, not bothering to hide anything as she took the clothes and wriggled into them. As always the shoulders were a touch too wide but comfy.

Mutt grinned watching her, "Go hang out with your crawlies." Kari blew him a kiss and bounced down the stairs. On the bed Sans shifted and cracked an eye open. Mutt stared back at him, "You feeling any better?" Sans let out what might have passed as a grumble if it had actually managed to be words. Mutt sent him a soft smile, "Go back to sleep, I'll bring you something on just a bit." Sans let out another noise and face planted back in the pillow.

Mutt chuckled pulling on a pair of sweats and ambling from the room only to return some time later with a serving tray laden with a food plate and a couple of cups. Sans woke up properly this time and sat up to dig into breakfast. "KARI WAS HERE EARLIER, RIGHT?" he checked. It hadn't just been another incredibly fantastic wet dream? He'd had so many of those.

"Yep, gave her some of your spares and sent her on her way to play with her crawly friends when she didn't want to sleep in." He confirmed handing over the tray and curling just far enough away not to unbalance it.

Sans grinned. "BETTER THAN I IMAGINED." He tucked into breakfast and brightened up. "IT'S FIVE MORE DAYS UNTIL NAPSTATON!"

"It is, try to get more sleep before now and then." Mutt teased sneaking the pillow Sans had been using to cuddle with.

“MWE!” Sans shot Mutt a look. “I KNOW HOW TO LOOK AFTER MYSELF.”

"You do, but I've been doing it longer." Mutt replied sticking out his tongue. Sans childishly stuck his own tongue back at Mutt and pulled a face. Mutt grinned, "Not sure which face works better that one, or the one from last night."

Sans spluttered. “YOU INTERRUPTED MY EXERCISE LAST NIGHT,” he quickly diverted.

Mutt chuckled, "Bench pressing the couch? So sorry."

“YOU WERE IMPRESSED,” Sans grumbled. Okay more like surprised and confused, but it still counted!

"Course I was. It's like twice your size." Mutt snickered.

“I’M NOT THAT SMALL!”

"Hhhmmm nope you're right. Teeny's smaller."

“MWEHEHE! MY TINY HUMAN.” Sans beamed.

Mutt grinned, "She's really given it to you bad."

“I’M NOT-I’M NOT GONE ON HER!” Sans argued. “SHE’S NOT YOU!” Wait, had he said that?

Mutt blinked, "Well that's not what I expected to come flying out..." Sans flushed and grabbed the nearest object to throw at him. Mutt dodged the tossed thing carefully to avoid upending the tray, "Why so hostile? You know I'm way worse in the hole yeah?"

Sans grabbed something else and paused. “YOU ARE?”

Mutt raised a brow, "I know you get busy, but how did you manage to miss that of all things?" 

He leaned up from his sprawl and kissed the smaller skeleton, "I'm not playing a game here."

Sans flustered a little. “WELL...” How could he explain that Mutt was his big brother? So much a part of his world he couldn’t think of living without him? To think that Mutt was just as hooked on Sans as he was on him was hard to grasp.

Mutt just curled to nuzzle at Sans' neck, "Well."

“I DIDN’T DOUBT THAT YOU L-LOVED ME.”

"Not a past tense kinda thing M'lord." Sans flushed more and buried his face in Mutt’s chest. Mutt purred dropping a kiss to the top of his brothers head, "Gonna end up late if we keep going."

Sans twitched before untangling himself. “RIGHT.” He had work to do. A librarby to ignore, groups to check to ensure they weren’t going to overthrow him, guards to terrorize into obedience.

Mutt sighed at the movement, but rolled to his feet anyway. He had to be at his own post soon to as much as he disliked it.


	43. The Concert

Kari fidgeted with her outfit pulling on the sleeves. Sans was rather content to fuss over her, checking that her collar was suitably on display while her abnormal features were hidden. It wouldn't do for the Queen to tell her guards to confiscate Kari. Kari flashed a small grin at him making a faint blush appear before he stepped back. "THAT SHOULD DO IT."

Mutt plopped an arm around each of them, "Ready now?" He was much less inclined to fuss than Sans was, though it was adorable watching the smaller two's interactions.

Sans looked over at Mutt. "MUTT! YOU LOOK THE SAME!" Didn't he understand how important this occasion was?

Mutt tilted his head looking down at himself, "You're right, should I go shirtless?"

Sans gaped at Mutt. "WHAT? NO!" Kari giggled and stepped over to snuggle up to Sans. "Why not? He'd make marvelous eye candy."

"BECAUSE HE'S OUR EYE CANDY," Sans growled possessively.

Mutt chuckled, "You don't want me failing your standards M'lord."

Sans huffed and turned around to dig through the closet for a fancy outfit for Mutt. He pulled out a clean shirt for Mutt to change into and a vest with a fuzzy lining. "HERE!" Mutt studied the different items for a second before shrugging off his jacket and sweater to switch out. It was less comfortable, vests always fit weird on his frame, but livable.

"Not bad," Kari complimented.

"NOW YOU'RE SUITABLE FOR GOING OUT," Sans approved. He snuck the jacket away to wash.

Mutt rolled his eyes, "It's not that bad." It really was that bad a packet of sauce had exploded in a pocket the day before, but he wasn't going to own up to that.

"I HIGHLY DOUBT THAT."

"As you say M'lord."

Sans lead the way out and towards the capital. "WE'LL HAVE TO STAY IN A HOTEL FOR THE NIGHT, IT'LL TAKE TOO LONG TO RUN BACK. MUTT HAS UNDYNE BEEN PUSHING ANYTHING?"

"Nothing I wouldn't expect from her with a sample to figure out." He shrugged. He didn't point out he could just port them back home, his brother would surely have thought of that when planning the night.

“GOOD.” Focusing on keeping his pets close as he traveled helped Sans keep his guard up instead of losing his concentration. Kari wasn’t helping with how easily she trusted him to guard her and her meandering around.

Mutt grinned, "Don't fall in anything Teeny. Small enough you might get stuck."

"I'm sure Sans could squeeze in after me," Kari shot back.

"MWE! I'M NOT NEARLY AS SMALL!"

Kari looked back at Sans with a wide smile. "Well, you are a little taller than me." Mutt couldn't cover the snort of laughter at the banter. Oh she was gunning for it though.

“YOU’RE THE SHORT ONE,” Sans shot back.

Kari widened her eyes innocently. “Me?”

Mutt bent over looking at the both of them, "Sure you aren't both dolls?" Sans turned around and kicked Mutt in the shins while Kari laughed. A couple monsters actually peeked out at that. Such open laughter wasn’t normal down in the Underground. Mutt dramatically flopped over as if extremely pained. Kari laughed and came over to try and tug Mutt up. 

“MUTT! WE’RE GONNA BE LATE WITH YOUR SHENANIGANS! KARI STOP ADDING TO IT!” Mutt rolled to his feet stooping over Kari just enough to unbalance her, but not to topple them. Kari shifted so she swung from his arm briefly before changing to jump over to Sans and lay on him. “KARI,” Sans warned.

“You’re comfy.”

“WE’RE IN PUBLIC.” Kari sighed and slipped off to snuggle up to him instead. Sans deigned this acceptable and pulled her into his side. She was such a wonderful warmth in his life. Mutt hovered a step behind them to watch their backs. Sans was right...this was public, and they couldn't be too careful. Kari thought she saw a spiderling at one point, but when she turned her head nothing was there. It must have been her imagination. She shrugged it off and let herself focus on enjoying the coolness of Waterfall before they hit the death heat of Hotland. Mutt had counted three of them so far, and wondered how many he would spot at the actual venue, or perhaps Muff would show, though that seemed less likely. He grinned widely, maybe a tad bit feral, at one of Undyne's cameras along the way.

The group spread out slightly as they hit Hotland. Kari was deeply tempted to remove her hoodie, but she was trying to keep a low profile so the queen didn't decide to confiscate her soul. That part still terrified her. What would happen to her body if her soul was removed? Would she be aware of them using her as a battery? No, don't think about that. Sans and Mutt were here. They were fine. She still relaxed more once they entered the crowds of the city. It was a lot easier to be hidden here.

Sans perked up and began to usher them both along more swiftly, occasionally chiding one or the other if he felt they had wandered too far. Kari definitely was feeling her pet status, and was a bit bemused by how Sans was acting. It wasn't unpleasant, just kind of funny to find herself on the same end that Mutt usually was. Sans ushered them up to their seats and settled down, barely containing his bouncing. A few monsters murmured to each other, impressed the captain was well off enough to bring his pets along to serve him during the show Mutt glanced around, taking in anything that could be a threat. Nothing that looked like he wouldn't be able to handle, and certainly not above Sans. Kari quietly tucked herself into Sans' side. She knew it wasn't really necessary. She was safe where she was. It just felt better with the attention flicking around her.

Sans straightened up as the lights dimmed and the stage lit up. "Hello my lovelies," Napstaton's voice called. "Are you ready to dance?" Sans cheered wildly. The robot wheeled onto the stage and pulled out his records. He clicked one on. "LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!" Music blasted over the crowd and Sans cheered wildly, the crowd exploding into motion.

Kari felt a bit like she was in the middle of a rave. And there was no sign of it stopping. It was like the entire stadium was just as energetic as Sans. She could feel the waves of excitement, sometimes riding it and enjoying the music right along Sans, other times falling back and watching the show. She had this to give him: Napstaton was quite the dancer. Three hours in Napstaton spun, and the robot transformed. Suddenly he had a face. And legs. He looked a lot more human. "What?" Mutt raised a brow at new form, what in the hell was he doing? How?

"MY NEW FORM!" Napstaton roared.

"GO NAPSTATON!" Sans shouted and cheered.

Kari leaned over to Mutt. "Nobody mentioned the robot could transform."

"Nobody knew he could." Mutt replied bending to speak with her easier. He brushed his teeth against her cheek briefly in the guise of speaking with her.

Kari hummed happily at the brief brush to her cheek. "Well, Sans is enjoying himself at least. And the music isn't terrible."

"No, it's not. And he is." He grinned at the hum.

A five hour concert was not Kari’s idea of a good time. Not because she didn’t enjoy the experience. It was great. She was just exhausted at the end, and that made her far more jumpy. She kept flinching herself back to full alertness.

Sans on the other hand was practically glowing with happiness. “THAT WAS GREAT!” Mutt kept finding himself humming one of the melody lines quietly. It had been fun enough, if not a bit stressful in the length with so many people in one spot. His head had been feeling clogged, but with the dissipation of the crowds he was doing better. Sans lead the way chattering excitedly. “I CAN’T BELIEVE WE GOT TO SEE THE UNVEILING OF HIS NEW BODY! WHAT KIND OF UPGRADES DO YOU THINK CAME WITH IT? I BET IT’S KILLER IN A FIGHT!”

"You'd have to ask Undyne. And there's no guarantee she won't try and bargain the info."

Kari hummed before breaking out and singing some of the lyrics. “Underground, the pressure’s hot, Underground, you know what we’ve got.” Mutt chuckled at her singing, though he couldn't blame her it was catchy. Sans grinned happily and actually joined in singing, despite the loss of decorum. Mutt sighed, but joined in with them.

Temmie followed silently behind the group, easily blending into the crowd even as it dispersed and spread out.

Sans lead them to a fancy hotel and up to their room. He pulled out wires and gadgets and set to trapping the place against any intruders. He hummed to himself cheerfully as he worked. Mutt fingered a button on the vest contemplating if it was worth the trouble to accidentally pop it off. Most likely not he decided almost pouting, he did miss the pocket space that came with the jacket though, pants pockets weren’t nearly as useful.

Kari flopped onto the bed. “That was fun.” She fell asleep a moment later, lulled by the new place and presence of her lovers.

Sans glanced over. “DID SHE JUST DROP?” This was not their home. How did she relax so easily?

"Looks like it, must be a trust thing." He went ahead and took the vest off, resisting the urge to snap the stitching in the button. He ran the flats of his fingers over her hair, hopefully she didn't overheat sleeping in layers like that.

“STOP FUSSING WITH THE VEST.” Sans stared at Kari warmth flooding him. She really trusted them that much. He was going to live up to that. He was going to get them all to the Surface. They would have their dreams come true.

"It's annoying." He whined petulantly.

“SO?” Sans stared at his brother challenging him to push him on his right to dress up his brother. Mutt pouted slipping to his knees. Sans walked over. “GOOD BOY.”

>>>SMUT START>>>  
Mutt watched him with a lazy grin, "Should I strip for you?"

"IT WOULD CERTAINLY MAKE KEEPING YOUR CLOTHES CLEAN EASIER," Sans teased him. "MAKE IT A SHOW. AND DON'T JUST DROP IT ON THE GROUND." Mutt grinned rocking back to his feet and starting a torturous pace of stripping down, complete with a put on flush. Rather than toss the best down he sauntered over wrapping it around Sans' shoulders. Sans watched his brother admiringly. He was a good looking skeleton when he put effort in. Usually even when he didn’t. He hugged the vest to himself savouring Mutt’s scent and magic.

Mutt purred at motion ducking a little circle around his brother to trail his fingers along the slighter shoulders, and started on the shirt. A small thrill of pleasure ran through Sans as he watched Mutt perform under his command. Utterly his to control. Mutt shivered under the scrutiny reminding himself to be patient...he could be excited all he wanted as long as he didn't push too far. Sans' gaze dropped down drinking in the reveal of his brother's thin sharp spine. Mutt grinned and let the shirt slip off his frame, he tossed it at Sans. Sans caught the shirt and frowned as he folded it up neatly to be put aside. 

Mutt chuckled at the frown, "You said no floor."

“I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN YOU’D FIND A WAY AROUND THAT.” Mutt just hummed popping button on his pants allowing them to slip ever that much teasingly lower as he bent to remove his shoes. Sans watched Mutt’s hips, unable to look away as his brother took off his shoes. It was almost tantalizing. He reached over and grasped a hip one tightly, scraping inside it. Mutt let out a hiss of pleasure from the grip. He twisted just enough to press his mouth Sans', and shimmied just enough for gravity to do its work on the already loose material. Sans let out a low purr. He dug his claw in before removing it and stepping back. “THEY’RE ON THE FLOOR.”

Mutt rolled his eyes, but picked them up, "Did you think they'd just magically disappear?"

Sans smirked. “THAT’S YOUR JOB TO SOLVE, NOT MINE.” Mutt grinned and tossed them to land lightly on top of a small cabinet. Still not on the floor. Sans twitched slightly. “THAT WAS AN INTERESTING PERFORMANCE.” He looked away, pretending boredom as he began to take off his own clothes for bed. Mutt grinned to himself moving to kneel beside his brother again, this time watching sharply, inwardly calculating.

“GOOD NIGHT MUTT.” Sans headed for the bed. Mutt looped an arm around his waist before he could get out of reach, pulling the smaller body back against him. Sans twisted to look at him. “DO YOU NEED SOMETHING?”

Mutt flicked a glance to the sleeping human, "What if I had a little wager for you?"

“I’M LISTENING.”

"Think you could stay quiet enough to not wake her?" Mutt murmured against the side of Sans' skull while brushing a palm across the crest of the smaller's hip.

Sans tilted his head. “EAGER ARE YOU?” He was hoping to get more from Mutt before he gave in.

"Have you ever known me not to be?"

Sans preened. “THEN WORSHIP YOUR LORD. AND I’LL BEAT YOUR BET.” He was counting on that pride, and nodded pressing his sternum to the back of Sans' ribcage. One hand dancing around the sensitive spaces between the ribs, the other dropping to mimic Sans' earlier action on the smaller’s hips. He would go straight for the sensitive spots. Sans grunted once before suppressing any noise at all, just watching his brother’s fingers as he sent deep thrills through his frame.

Mutt grinned tipping the smaller body forward to floor next to the bed by hooking a finger around a rib and tugging. The hand on Sans' hip slipped hooking the waistband of the bottoms tugging them out of the way. Sans gasped slightly. He wasn’t going to give in though. He could keep quiet! It made keeping his magic from flushing a lot harder. Mutt shuffled just far enough back to bend and run his tongue along the edge of Sans coccyx. Sans shivered his bones glowing with his magic and beginning to collect there.

He trailed little nips up Sans' spine stopping the line to deliver a slightly deeper bite to a shoulder before moving on so he was hovering over the other's smaller frame. Sans panted hard grabbing onto Mutt’s shoulders. He was almost writhing with the effort to not let any moans escape. The bite made him jolt and he twisted forward to bite Mutt’s neck to help him keep quiet. Mutt shoved down the whine trying to escape when his brother latched him teeth onto him, instead he pressed out a soft whisper, "You're doing so well."

“O-Of Course I am,” Sans huffed shakily. He kissed Mutt roughly. Mutt grinned into the clashing kiss hooking two fingers around the smaller’s pelvis brushing the collecting magic. Sans did let out a deep growl of pleasure at that, thrusting forward despite his magic being not yet formed and nipping at Mutt’s tongue Kari stirred slightly. Mutt pulled back cupping a hand over Sans' mouth. He glanced up to the bed, but didn't stop the fingers stroking along the loose magic and bone.

A fat cock formed and Sans thrusted into Mutt’s hold. He bit Mutt and glared at him. “Don’t Mute Me. I’m The Lord Here.”

"Idea's not to wake up sleepin' beauty up there. Course you never set a price on your wager either..."

Sans blanked for a moment before glaring at Mutt. “You Aren’t Winning.”

"Aren't I?" He pressed against the body under him. Either way he already achieved the main goal. Anything here on out was just bonus.

Sans growled and pushed Mutt back, arching so he could thrust against Mutt’s bare bones. “She’s Not Awake.”

"Yet." Mutt shrugged biting of the beginnings of a whimper at the rough treatment.

“KNEEL.” Mutt rocked back automatically to his knees, hands folded behind him. Sans grabbed Mutt’s shoulders and began to pleasure himself against him. “Open Your Mouth.” He let his mouth fall open. Watching the other closely. Sans thrust into Mutt’s mouth and choked back a groan. Mutt was so good at just taking it. “Good-Good Mutt, Just Keep,” He cut off talking as he suppressed a deep groan, face flushing. Mutt simply went to work instead of being passive about it, wrapping his tongue around the appendage in his mouth and sucking.

Sans shivered hard digging his claws further into Mutt to suppress his sounds. Mutt purred around the cock in his mouth hands coming around to dig lightly at the arms holding onto him. “Mm, mm.” This was hard. Why did Mutt have to tear his defenses down? Mutt finished dragging his fingers up the other's arms and lightly drug them down the back of Sans' ribcage. Just hard enough to be felt, but not deal actual damage. Sans shuddered and felt himself cum. “Papyrus...” Mutt looked up at him slowly letting go of the teasing hold he had on the other with a small hum.

Sans looked down at Mutt and huffed. “She Slept Through It.” It was his win. Mutt shrugged showing off the magic coating his mouth, he was fine with that. “I Know What I Want For My Prize When We Get Home.” Sans kissed Mutt’s skull. “Get Clean and Join Us.” He clambered over. Kari twitched uneasily at the added presence and woke up to look over.

“Hey Sans.”

“Go Back To Sleep.” Kari nodded and shifted to curl into him. Mutt stepped into the bathroom to spot clean where he needed to. He came back out curling around the two taking the spot closest to the door.


	44. Desires

Sans' bones had turned flushed in the night. Pushing himself so hard had once again caught up to him, despite Mutt's attempts to get his brother to slow down. Fuzzily he woke up and staggered out of the room in the middle of the night, completely confident that it was morning and time to start doing things.

Mutt blinked from his spot on the couch, what under the stars was that? Why was Sans up at this hour? He watched the top of the staircase, waiting for the other to make way into his line of sight.

It was surprisingly difficult to get started this morning. Sans had to use all of his willpower to not go back to bed. He walked into the kitchen not noticing Mutt at all as he started banging around in it.

Welp that answered that. He popped into the kitchen promptly grabbing the smaller skeleton and making for the staircase.

Sans struggled weakly in Mutt's hold. "Noooo..."

"Do you know what time it is?" Mutt questioned lightly easily adjusting his hold on his brother.

Sans paused. "Six Of Course."

Mutt snorted, "Try closer to 2. You've overdone it." He left off the biting I told you so comments. They really wouldn't do any good.

"...It Can't Be."

"Yep, can't...except it very much is. And you're going back to bed."

“What? I Have Things To Do!” Sans tried to struggle some more.

"Not until you're back to your normal levels you don't. I'll cover the whole circuit."

“No!” Sans latched onto Mutt like a koala. His brother was not leaving him!

Mutt sighed, "I can't just leave the area unattended M'lord."

“I Can Take Care Of It!”

"Sure you can." Mutt agreed, "As soon as you can get past me." Sans took that as an invitation to start spiritedly fighting him. Or at least that’s what he thought he was doing. It was more like some flailing and wriggling around weakly. Mutt just let him try, it would be easier to get him to sleep if he wore himself back out a little. And kept from dropping him. Until he managed to get through the door and tucking the writhing skeleton back into the bed.

Sans yawned. "I Have To...Look After You..."

Mutt sighed, "Gotta look after you too bro." Stubborn man.

"You're Good At That. But I Got Strong Enough To Help."

"Not worth the risk. I can handle things for a few days. I promise, and you know how I feel about that."

Sans grumbled but sank down. "Fine." He pouted at Mutt. Mutt nodded and started going over a checklist of things in his head. He'd need to make food on the lower uptake ends so it didn't overtax the others system to take in. He should probably warn Kari to stop him if she saw him up and about...

"Papyrus. Hey. Papyrus." Sans poked him.

"I'm listening." He looked back down to Sans and where he was being poked at.

"You're Supposed To Be Lazy."

"I'm supposed to let you lead. Can't do that sick."

Sans sighed. "Fine. But Stay For Now." He really didn't want to be alone.

"Yeah, I'll stay 'till breakfast and come back to check up during the day." He slipped down to the mattress snuggling up to the other skeleton.

"Good." Sans curled up. "And I'm Not Sick.:

Mut snorted "Sick or cycling either or." He mumbled to himself. "Get some more sleep."

"As Long As You Know That," Sans insisted. "I Don't Get Sick."

"Whatever you say tiny tyrant. Rest up." Sans tried. He was tired. He just kept shifting uncomfortably, the heat in his bones waking him up in waves. Mutt sat up, adjusting the blankets as needed, at this rate they'd end up tangled beyond comfort. There was no point in trying to rest himself when he was able to tell his brother was uncomfortable. Eventually Sans sank into a restless sleep, occasionally muttering under his breath. Who Captain Kernel was, well, that was a secret he’d never reveal awake.

Mutt shook his head, Stars above even radiating heat sick he had too damned much energy.

Kari had gone about her morning mostly like things were normal. She just kept getting distracted with the spaces where the skeletons weren’t. It was funny. Years on her own and now she’s spent barely three months and keeps looking for them. Eventually she admitted she wanted to check on them and poked her head into Sans’ room to see if they were there (or if they’d tired of her and left her behind).

Mutt looked over to the door, Kari was up. He held a finger to his teeth and carefully moved from the bed doing his best not to wake the other occupant. Kari nodded and looked to the bed. Sans was doing his best to murder his pillow in his sleep.

Mutt ducked out of the room ushering her down toward the kitchen, "He overdid it."

“So he can actually run out of energy?” Kari joked quietly.

"He can, and it's unbalanced his system. He assumed the middle of the night was morning. I don't think he would have made it back up the stairs on his own."

She paused and bit her lip. “That doesn’t sound good.”

"He'll improve as long as he takes it easy and listens to what he's told. It's gonna be a long next few days. If you see him up shoo him back to the bed, no sex."

“Gotcha.” Kari tugged on her hair in thought. She knew what was going on now. So, should she just pretend everything was fine and do nothing different? Avoid them? Or possibly help?

Mutt nodded, "It's just an imbalance. It'll straighten out."

“Right. Guess I’ll head to Muffet’s?” Kari tested.

"Sure, I'm making something for him and heading out for rounds, I'll check back around midday. If you need me text. I'll have the ringer up."

Okay, so that was a yes for staying out of the way. Kari nodded and grinned at Mutt. “I’ll see you later.” She bounced out of the house as if without a single care.

Mutt watched her go wondering if maybe that had been something to handle differently. He sighed and popped into the kitchen to get started, this was going to be a long few days.  
>>>>>>>>>

Kari headed down to poke around in the dump, a couple spiderlings traveling with her. She didn't have anything specific to do. She probably should be poking at the spot where she encountered the barrier. Kari didn't think she'd make any progress though. She didn't even know where to start looking on how to break it. Well, there was the thing about human souls. But Kari wasn't about to touch that. That wasn't useful for her.

"Finally." Kari whirled around, but she wasn't fast enough before the plush from before had reached out and pinned her to the ground. "I've been waiting ages to get you alone." Temmie chuckled softly, abnormally long limbs wrapped around Kari.

There was something to be said for how quickly word gets spread when it's not really by mouth. Before the small monster had completely enveloped Kari one of the smaller spiderlings was off to spread the alarm.

Kari struggled. "You can't have my soul," she growled.

"I don't want your soul."

Kari paused. "What."

"I. Don't. Want. Your soul."

"I thought everyone wants human souls?"

"I'm much more interested in breaking the barrier than taking your soul! It might be easier if I just took it, but considering how much I've invested in this I suppose I might as well try working with you instead of around you."

"You've hunted me. Chased me. Taunted me about how many human souls are needed to break the barrier. And you expect me to believe you?"

Temmie shrugged. "You would be surprised how difficult it is to speak to anyone here without them thinking the worst of you. You're just as paranoid as the natives really."

"Fine." Kari tried to look relaxed. "Let me go and we can talk."

Temmie shook their head. "Not until after we talk. You are very slippery." Well, they had her there. Kari had definitely been planning on running as soon as she was released. Temmie grinned. "Seven souls to break the barrier. And the queen currently has six. You would be number seven."

"And how does this involve you not taking my soul? Cause I am very busy with it. Don't plan on losing it for at least another ten years."

"The secret lays in the human mages that cast the barrier. They worked together to form the barrier. So you should be able to work with me to break it without your soul being taken."

Mutt misstepped the landing, that was easy to do among the junk of the dump. However Muffet wasn't used to such things, and slid down part of the hill causing a small avalanche of broken pieces to cascade. She sneered at the entire process, "Was that really necessary Pappy?" Mutt ignored her ire to pop past her carefully assessing the situation.

Kari looked at Mutt fear clear in her eyes before she snapped her attention back to the plush monster. "So you, what? Want me to go with you when you take the six souls?"

"Work as a distraction for the queen, actually," Temmie informed her. "She won't be able to resist the chance to get the last soul needed."

Mutt balked at the thought, "Not happening."

Temmie flinched and spun around. "Mutt! You're here!"

"Yup," Kari said cheerfully. "You can let go now." The grip tightened.

"Might wanna listen to the lady kid." Mutt responded hands clenched in his pockets. 

Muffet finished picking her way down the side of the pile, "This is why I have hired hands. So help the angel if I have stains in these pants come tomorrow." She muttered aggravated.

"And what guarantee is there that you'll let me live if I do?" Temmie challenged sweetly.

Mutt tilted his head, "You really think I couldn't get to you through her?" His mind was busy running calculations. Stars he wished he had more information on human vitals than he did currently. Part of his mind yelled that he had more than enough, part not to risk it, and a small part questioned if he was actually a good enough healer in the first place to keep her together if he did go through her. Muffet frowned, that wasn't the type of talk she wanted to hear out of that idiot.

"You care for her too much to risk her," Temmie mocked. "I'm a lot smaller than her. Do you really believe that Sans' mad dog can manage to not kill her?"

"What happened to not wanting me dead?" Kari challenged.

"I said I was willing to try. I can still take your soul if you insist."

"Do you see the tiny master around to dictate my actions? She's human, we need the soul anyway. If she lives sure we keep her, if not we get out anyway." Surely she knew him well enough by now. 

Muffet huffed, "You have always been an idiot Pappy Dear. I am interested in what the odd one has to say. Let up on the human a bit though small one, won't you? She is in my employ and I would like to keep her useful."

This situation was not going well for her. Mutt's words cut too, though she didn't show it. Besides, she'd gone in knowing they were using her. She had been using them too to survive. Kari just had to remember that.

Temmie hummed before loosening their grip slightly. "I would let her go all the way, but she's proven awfully tricky." They smiled apologetically. "I want to break the barrier. Not just one or two monsters getting out. Everyone. Unfortunately the queen and your human is in the way of that."

"Queenie's in the way with everything. I fail to see how Teeny here makes any difference to you aside from putting your incompetence out in the open." 

"You have all of our full attention small one. Speak now before I begin working my way closer."

"All that's needed is seven human souls. It never states that the human soul has to be taken. If the six souls from the queen can be taken, the barrier can be broken with your human's help."

"That could be arranged." It wouldn't be easy, but nothing down here ever was. 

"Yes I'm sure between the lot of us we could figure it out, likely without having to deal with Her Majesty to awfully much." Muffet nodded, "With the mongrel here...I believe we might even have an easy way into them." Mutt didn't like the idea of being a bargaining chip, but better him than one of those two.

Temmie's ears twitched. "Well, if this doesn't work, I can always try again." They let Kari go, and she shot across the dump pressing up against a cavern wall.

Mutt blinked over to her crouching, "You're not hurt right?" He murmured trying to look her over. 

"Yeah, I'm fine." Kari rubbed at where her arm had been constricted. Hopefully that wouldn't bruise later.

Mutt tilted his head, "Want to go home? Muffet can handle things for now, she'll send word when to meet up again." 

"Please," Kari murmured. He nodded carefully picking her up. He half turned to lock eyes with Muffet for a brief second before popping home. 

Muffet sighed shaking her head, "So you believe the barrier could be broken by a soul still encased in human flesh?"

"I do. It's at least worth trying." Temmie smiled up at Muffet. "Especially if it means we get out. Don't you agree?"

"Of course, as long as we are tactical about it. Casualties are, admittedly less than impressive." Muffet held out a hand, "And what do we address you as, or does small one work?"

"I'm Temmie."

"Well then Temmie, I believe we have a deal. Hold up your end, I do so hate to be disappointed."

"All I need is a moment of distraction to get the souls," Temmie promised. "That's all it would take. That and Kari to do her part."

"She's been wanting out, and I'm certain she's not too keen on the pain of dying just yet." Muffet waved it off, "And your plan for the other souls once we have them?"

"That part is for me to solve."

"Then I suppose I'll have to let you do so." Muffet tittered a laugh and waved, "I'm sure you know where to go if you need me."

Temmie nodded. “Let me know when you have a distraction ready.” They ran off. That had gone fairly well.


	45. Fallback

As soon as they landed Mutt was curling around her on the couch, "I don't trust him and farther than I could punt the little shit. Are you sure you're not hurt anywhere? I can work at it."

"I survived," Kari pointed out. "Better than I expected."

"Alive and comfortable aren't the same thing." He countered.

Kari sighed and curled into Mutt. "At least we have a way for looking into getting out."

"You really want to keep up with that? You know you won't have to do it, we can keep you away from it all until the very last second." Mutt murmured into her hair.

"I wouldn't be able to trust it if I didn't know what was happening. I don't think Temmie has any problem taking my soul if they decide this isn't working."

"I don't either, stupid little shit." He grumbled pressing a kiss to the top of her head, "You're staying with Sans until he's up again?" He hinted.Kari didn't think Sans would be any protection while sick, but it was better than wandering around. She tugged at her collar uneasily. "Muffet will be watching the house closer. You don't have to worry about it." He continued, "And I'll be in and out every little bit. And you can call if you need anything, at all."

“I can’t go anywhere anyways,” Kari half assured him.

He gave her a dead stare, "You literally jumped out the window and ran."

Kari laughed. “So I did.” She grinned at Mutt.

"Try and stay safe...that wasn't...I don't want to have to ever worry like that again." She wasn't equipped to deal with the type of thing. She hesitated about really fighting.

Kari didn’t look up. She didn’t think she’d stay calm if she did. “I...” She couldn't...

"Just...for a little bit then?" He knew she wouldn't stay still long, but... "Please?" Kari nodded and buried herself down. His smell was still comforting, even thinking about him not caring. He curled around her a bit tighter, "I'm sorry I let that happen. I couldn't actually risk hurting you. I don't know enough..."

“What? What do you mean?”

"I could have...taken him out, but it would have hurt you in the process...and I don't know what all is lethal for you. So I couldn't...I couldn't actually help."

Kari hummed. “You do care if I’m alive or just a soul?”

He frowned, "You believed that?"

“Uh, yes? Why wouldn’t I? I know you took me in for the prestige, and you can use my soul.”

"I followed you cause you were something different. I don't care that you're human, apart from the physical differences." He shrugged, "Soul's a soul no matter how its housed."

Kari let out a hysterical giggle. “Guess I’m lucky.”

"Guess we all are." He replied with a soft purr. The purr soothed Kari even further. Her frame trembled a little as she cried silently. He gathered her up, "Alright I think this has been enough for a day. Let's check on Sans, and get you tucked in to rest a little yourself." Kari nodded silently. He went back to purring gently as he carried her up the stairs making his way to his brother's room.

Sans blearily poked his head out of the bed. “PAPS?” He blinked looking at Kari and began to fight his way out of the blankets.

"You stay, we're heading that way." Mutt chided shutting the door behind him with magic. He brought Kari over to the bed rearranging the blankets so he could press her close to Sans. Kari smirked shakily at Sans and brushed away what few tears there were. She was fine. She was always fine. She did shift so she could curl up to the smaller skeleton.

Sans worriedly wrapped her into the blankets with him. “WHAT HAPPENED?”

"That weird ass little fucker. Muff's gonna send word later." Mutt replied looking the both of them over again. He closed his eyes taking in the flickering second sight of them so close, and pulled in a deep breath, "Says the barrier could be broken without having to take her soul."

Sans brightened. “KARI CAN SHOW US THE SKY?”

It aches in her chest as she looks at Sans’ far too fuzzy eye lights and feverish bones. “I want to.”

"That's the plan bro. Think you could handle some toast and soup if I brought it up?" Mutt reached over blindly stroking along the other's skull.

“OF COURSE! I’M NOT SICK,” Sans lied. Kari snorted quietly but stayed curled up.

"Yeah sure, snuggle the teeny thing Sansy. I'll be right back with food." He rocked back to his feet popping out of the room.

Sans huffed. “ALWAYS FUSSING.” He looked back to Kari and brushed her hair carefully. “YOU’LL BE OKAY.” Kari nodded silently. She was so glad they let her be close.

Mutt returned after a bit with food, "Help him get propped up?"

Sans sat up and pouted. “I DON’T NEED HELP!” He was maybe a little feverish, not dying! Kari twisted to watch while still pressed into Sans. He held her there absently, grip about as weak as a noodle.

Mutt rolled his eyes, "You could use it even if you don't need it."

Kari shifted subtly so Sans could lean on her. The smaller skeleton didn’t seem to notice, but it was easier for him to stay upright. “HEY! I’M YOUR...YOUR...” Something very important. He just couldn’t think of the word.

"Easy there bro. Let's get something in you before you slip back under." He set the tray down in front of the other two, taking up a spot on the other side. Sans stared blankly at the food before digging in tiredly. If he hadn't seen this before Mutt might be panicking a little more than he was now, but he had. He sighed, of all the times for sick to hit.

“They planned their ambush well,” Kari muttered. This was why staying in one place was so dangerous.

“I SHOULD KILL THEM,” Sans muttered quietly.

"Not until we have the information from them." Mutt responded carefully watching them.

“We won’t have to if it works.” 

Sans looked over at Kari and stared intensely. He slowly reached over and booped her nose. “BOOP.” Kari stared at Sans in surprise.

Mutt shook his head, "I guess that's true enough."

Sans focused on finishing his food and yawned tiredly. “STAY PAP?”

"I will for awhile, Teeny's staying even when I go check rounds."

“GOOD.” Sans settled down. “YOU CAN HELP WITH REPORTS.”

Mutt groaned, "Don't subject us to torture."

“DON’T BE LAZY.”

“We’re not. We just want you to pay attention to us instead,” Kari smoothed in.

Sans blinked and looked at her then back to Mutt. “YOU DO?”

"Maybe." Mutt shrugged looking between the two.

“OKAY.” Sans settled down to cuddle Kari and his brother the best he can. Mutt moved the tray to the floor so it didn't get upended, and scooted up closer to them. Sans fussed over the pair of them slowly, Kari taking the chance to nuzzle him and get him flustered but not worked up. Eventually he fell asleep with a smile on his face.

Mutt smiled bending to place light kisses to both their faces, "I'm gonna go make the circuit. Be back in a bit."

“Alright.” Kari gave a quick smile to Mutt before burrowing under the blankets. Childish, but she did feel better now that she was hidden. Mutt chuckled at her burrowing and popped out of the room.  
>>>>>>>>>>

Sans woke up to find himself drooling on his brother. Nope. No that didn’t happen. He quickly tried to clean it up before Mutt could notice. Mutt shifted in his 'sleep' all but rolling completely on top of the smaller skeleton. Sans let out a muffled squeak of surprise. Now he wasn’t even sure where he’d drooled. He tried to move without waking Mutt up. Mutt let loose a soft snuffling snore. Okay, this was fine. He could do this. He’d just...squish himself down. Mutt shifted again latching around an arm like an annoying barnacle.

Seriously? Sans struggled in the grip. Ugh. Maybe he should just wake Mutt up. But then he’d notice the drool! Mutt seemed to settle back down nuzzling into the shoulder of the trapped arm. Okay, he needed another plan. Sans ruthlessly suppressed a sudden rumble of hunger as he tried to think. Maybe if he relaxed then Mutt would loosen his grip? Sans went as soft and pliant as he could manage. Whether the cause was his persistent hunger, or the sudden pliant structure to his frame, Mutt yawned, " You doing better this morning?"

“YES,” Sans reluctantly admitted. Why did he have to wake up now?

Mutt purred pressing a hand to his brother's face, "Seem a little cooler. Want me to make breakfast?"

“NO! NO, I CAN TAKE CARE OF IT. JUST STAY HERE.” Sans brightened and tried to look at Mutt seductively. “AND WE CAN PLAY.”

Mutt frowned a bit. "Are you sure you should be up doing this?"

“YOU FUSS TOO MUCH,” Sans told him. “I’M FINE.”

"I could fuss more." he grumbled.

“BEHAVE MUTT.” He gave his brother a quick kiss. Mutt huffed, but settled back into the bed, if Sans said he was going to deal with it...he would. That didn't mean he couldn't torture himself with anxious thoughts about if the other was really alright.

Down in the kitchen Sans proceeded to inhale everything he could get his hands on not even bothering to cook. Being sick-er, trapped in his bed under protest-burned a lot of energy. He didn’t notice as Kari slipped in until she was cuddling him.

“Hey Sans.”

“KARI.”

“That looks pretty good.” Kari stole a bite of his toast ignoring Sans’ grumpy growl.

“YOU CAN HANDLE YOUR OWN BREAKFAST.”

“So you won’t feed me?” Kari pouted mischievously.

Sans wanted to give in, but Mutt was being fussy. “NOPE.” He shoved the last of the toast in his mouth. Kari blinked in surprise at the refusal. He really had to be feeling better if he was staying on task.

“Alright. But I’ll see you later?”

“OF COURSE.” Sans gave Kari a possessive kiss and a nip to her ear before walking back up. Sans reentered the room and closed the door before striding confidently to his brother. Sans climbed on top of Mutt and nuzzled him. “I AM GOING TO LICK EVERY ONE OF YOUR BONES,” he told him.

Mutt tilted his head allowing for the healed bite to be presented, "If that's what you want." Was this really a good idea with this health just stabilizing? Sans nipped at the bite and licked over it slowly. He traced his tongue down around Mutt’s neck to his collarbone, and discreetly cleaned up the drool while he sucked on it. Mutt keyed in on the small deviation, so that's what had him so distracted earlier. If he could have, he might have laughed. That wasn't a possibility right now though, all that came forth was reedy whine.

Sans chuckled and continued to lavish attention, moving to one arm and administering nips down the forearm to the tips of his fingers. Mutt squirmed, hold it he wouldn't slip magic just yet. Sans switched attention to Mutt’s other hand kissing them before trailing up his arm and sucking gently on Mutt’s ribs as he went down. Mutt whined forcing himself still so he didn't hurt the other. Sans grinned wickedly at Mutt and promptly bit his spine. Mutt yelped arching and magic snapping into place in an instant.

“IMPATIENT,” Sans teased. He dragged a hand up Mutt’s cock. “NOT GOING TO LET ME LICK YOUR COCCYX?”

"If someone ha-hadn't bitten me." He whimpered at the contact.

He kissed Mutt’s cock before dragging a hand down to scratch at Mutt’s thighs. “BLAMING YOUR LORD? THINK YOU’LL HAVE TO BE PUNISHED FOR THAT.”

Mutt shivered at the thought, "Someone is feeling better." He murmured to himself. Sans pulled out a cock ring and slipped it onto Mutt, tightening it enough to be uncomfortable. Where had he even gotten that? It's not like it was exactly common streetfare. He whimpered at the compression to his magic and gave Sans a pitiful look. Sans smirked and continued to toy with Mutt’s cock. This wasn't fair, Mutt pouted to himself and dug his fingers into the blankets hips twitching. Sans pushed him to the point it was painful before finally removing the ring. Mutt whined completely losing any control over the situation cum staining the tank he was still in from the day before. At least he hadn't changed yet.

Sans crawled up and kissed Mutt before collapsing exhaustedly on top of him. Mutt brushed his teeth against the top of Sans skull in a pseudo kiss still panting to get his breathing back under control. “DON’T DOUBT ME AGAIN,” Sans muttered tiredly.

Mutt curled around him, "You remember anything from the past couple of days?" Mutt asked running a hand down the other's spine.

“...YES?”

"Including that we might have a lead on getting out without removing Kari's soul?"

“WE DO?” Sans shot up shakily.

"That little shit that was following you around seems to think it's possible. Get some sleep, we'll talk more when I have info from Muffet about what to expect."

“HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?”

"I'm not certain how they think they know anything. But they aren't what you expect by looking at them." he failed to mention the finer details of the encounter.

“HM.” Sans laid back down. “IT’LL BE GOOD IF WE CAN GET OUT.”

"It would, but I still don't trust it." he murmured snuggling back up to Sans despite the mess he was sporting.

“WE’LL KEEP HER SAFE.”

"And you."

“MY SOUL CAN’T OPEN THE BARRIER.” He yawned and started drifting off, for once not complaining about the stickiness.

"No, still an important one." he nodded.

“MOST IMPORTANT,” he boasted sleepily.

Mutt grinned nuzzling Sans, "Sleep. You're overdoing again."

He grumbled and subsided. It didn’t take long before he drifted off. Mutt tucked the blankets around the smaller and went to get cleaned up.


	46. Running

Kari hovered around the living room. She had found her way over into Sans’ workshop, but sadly as fun as it was with him in it she didn’t know enough to be able to mess around on her own. Kari was too twitchy to stay still, her promise to Mutt the only thing keeping her from running blind.

Mutt peeked around a corner and popped to the couch, "You doing okay there?"

“Of course,” Kari lied with ease. She bounced over to climb on him and started fidgeting with his hoodie.

He didn't really believe that. She must be annoyed with being stuck especially with having seen Sans earlier, "Wanna make the rounds with me?"

“Yes.” She barnacled to Mutt in a tight hug. “That’d be fantastic.”

He chuckled, "Make sure you're dressed warm, don't want you going under the weather on us too."

“Right.” Kari kissed Mutt before running off to get change. She was getting out! Kari was practically ricocheting off the various trees as she ran off the nervous energy from being hunted. Mutt kept an eye one her as he checked over all the pieces of the current trap, How had he ended up with two tiny batteries? She barely stopped anymore than Sans did!

“Hey Mutt,” Kari purred. “Want to play tag? I promise there’s a prize.” She sauntered down the path making sure he could see her hips swing.

Mutt tilted his head, "Are there rules?"

“You can’t teleport,” Kari ruled quickly. That would end it far too quickly.

He figured as much, oh well, he could still keep up decently. "Anything else?"

“Nope!” Kari grinned and turned dashing off down the path. Mutt gave her a few seconds head start before following, it was only fair and courteous after all.

It felt great to run and feel the ground fall away beneath her feet. The few traps she encountered her a challenge to dodge, and added an extra level of enjoyment in a place where it was harder for her to bounce off multiple surfaces. Mutt chasing her felt good too, in a way chases never had. The end of the hunt would be safe and fun even if she lost. Kari for a brief moment felt free. She cut things close a few times, he almost cut the game short once...almost. But she managed to avoid the trap so he let the game run on. How long did they run? Ten minutes? An hour? Long enough for her to start tiring and slow down.

Mutt grinned catching her around the waist, "Fast for a tiny thing."

Kari laughed in surprised delight and looked up at him. “Looks like the big bad mutt hunted me down.”

"What's that, down?" He leaned on her, "Well if you say so..."he flopped over pulling her with him. She laughed again and settled comfortably on top, leaning down to give him a deep kiss. She was so lucky to have someone that let her run. Mutt purred at the attention, letting his hands wander. Kari enjoyed the feel of his hands caressing down her curves and returned the favour undoing his hoodie so she could get to his bones. He shuddered at the hands on him and pressed his forehead to hers, "Been holding out on don't get caught on me?"

Kari grinned. “Maybe.” She kissed him again. He made a quiet noise on the lower end of his spectrum, what did he do to deserve this? One hand wrapped into her hair and the other traced idle patterns on her skin. Kari was perfectly happy to be here like this, letting her fears and restless energy burn away under a wave of deep kisses and Mutt’s touch.

Mutt nuzzled against her jaw, "Should head back before you freeze."

Kari sighed. "I...guess we should." She really didn't want to go back already.

"Have I showed you the balcony?"

"I don't actually think so."

He tilted his skull, "Might have to actually put a door in."

Katie snorted. "Really? How'd you manage to miss that?"

Mutt shrugged, "Was that way when we got here."

"So someone literally built a balcony you can only get to by climbing?"

"Yep."

"Sounds perfect." Kari giggled.

"It's weird...but works for me." He winked.

"Alright. I guess we can go see it." She kissed Mutt again and leaned back to let him get up. She didn't notice the dog monster that stared at both of them calculatingly. The captain would not be happy to hear this! Mutt grinned widely wrapping an arm around her to pull her close. The free hand flipped the finger toward the other monster before he simply popped them back home directly onto the balcony.

Kari peered around the balcony. "Nicer than I expected."

Mutt hummed, "M'lord doesn't get near as pissed about smoking out here." Kari chuckled and leaned into him to steal some of his warmth. Mutt grinned pulling her practically into the jacket with him.

“I could probably curl up right under there and have no one see me,” Kari giggled.

"Could try it." He chuckled. Kari curled up contentedly against him. This wasn’t perfect, but it was better. He marveled at how tiny she was. "You planning on hiding in there for long?"

“Just until you kick me out,” she teased softly.

"Guess I should get used to it then." He chuckled.

Kari hummed happily. “I’m glad Sans is feeling better.”

"Yeah what was this morning about in the kitchen?"

“Playing and testing if he was okay.”

"So I have you to thank for that attitude?" He poked at her.

Kari jerked and gasped a laugh at the ticklish touch. “Maybe.”

Mutt grinned and poked at her again, "Thanks for that torture."

Kari flinched at the tickle again with a strangled laugh. “And none for me? Sans is a cold man.”

"Could offer to make up for it."

“After you turned me down in the woods?” Kari nipped at one of his fingers. “I don’t think I could trust that.”

"For your own good, 's cold out here."

He tilted his head to peer at her, "Plus there was an audience."

Kari flushed. “There-there was?”

"Mmm for the last few moments." Kari quickly hid her face feeling it slowly burn up. He laughed giving her a devilish grin, "Nothing that bad. Figured you wouldn't appreciate more though, much I would have loved to rub it in their face."

“That wouldn’t change them noticing me.” How was she supposed to hide if that happened?

"True, should I find them then?" He mused.

“And do what?”

He shrugged, "Make sure it's not an issue."

“You mean, uh, kill them?” She wasn’t ignorant about the deaths. Some days she still thought she felt dust on her hands. She refused to ignore it, even if she couldn’t stop it. She would accept they were killers if she was going to be with them.

"Would be the easiest option."

“Would it actually solve things? Is there enough of an issue?”

"In the short term sure. Better safe than sorry." He shrugged.

“Not long term?”

"M'lord's a lot better at long term planning than I am."

“Alright.” Kari bit her lip. “If you think it’ll help that’d be good.”

"In the meantime..." he popped them back onto the couch in the living room.

Warmth flushed through her as they landed on the couch. She hadn’t realized she’d gotten so chilly. “Oh, that feels good,” Kari moaned. She stretched out before curling back up.

"Second in line to temperature!" Mutt dramatically sighed.

Kari snorted. "Goof."

"That's a high likelihood." Kari snuggled down on him and kissed his jawbone lazily. Mutt grinned and tilted to catch her mouth in a proper kiss, or as close as a skeleton could get. Kari pulled back a little in surprise before leaning back into it. Mutt rumbled happily petting her hair, these were moments that made everything worth it.

“You love doing that don’t you,” Kari murmured quietly.

"What?" He peered at her.

“Touching my hair. Sans loves cuddling with me too but he doesn’t pet it as much.”

Mutt tilted his head, "Its soft."

“It is indeed. Like your hoodie.”

Mutt nodded, "Yeah, kinda a thing I guess."

“It’s nice.”

"It is, so are you." He nuzzled at her.

Kari nuzzled him back. It felt nice to not need to run. The place felt cramped, but here with Mutt she could ignore it and push away her fears.


	47. Planning

Temmie had dealt with Muffet before. They actually rather liked the sharp practicality of the monster. She didn’t kill needlessly the way many did. Temmie had wanted to deal with her, but timelines with Muffet always turned sour when people started paying too much attention to the plush. Sadly it was for the best that they remained in the background. They simply did not have enough strength to hold their own in this kill or be killed world.

The chance to finally fulfill their vow of breaking the barrier was too much to resist however, and the assurance of being able to reset made them bold as they located a spiderling. “Ask your mistress if she’s ready,” Temmie requested.

Muffet arrived after a bit, wouldn't do to leave the parlor unmanned after all! Luckily she had a few options for stand ins. She stepped confidently into the meeting spot, and smiled politely, "Are we ready to start speaking about getting this started?"

"I hope so! She won't be safe down here forever, even with the skeletons' protection." Temmie grinned at Muffet. "What do you know about where the queen keeps her souls?"

"From what I've gathered they stay in the labs under key and magic signature. It should be easy to get Undyne to allow entrance, if we can get the boys to play nice with her for a bit."

"That won't work," Temmie sighed. "She'll betray you and take the souls for herself."

"And how would you propose to get to them?"

"I can fake the signature. I just need the queen to stay away while I do so."

"So...set up a distraction. One that doesn't involve the girl is preferable...I believe that wouldn't be too hard." Muffet hummed thinking to herself.

"She found a spot where we can reach the barrier in the dump, so we can meet there after to break it. Everyone will notice but they'll be looking at the main exit so they won't notice us."

"The logic is sound. You truly believe this is possible, and what happens if we do fail? How do I know you don't go straight to the Queen and rat us others out?"

"We won't fail." They would just reset until they succeeded. This was hardly their first time meeting. "And it serves me better to break the barrier than to deal with the queen."

"I suppose so." There was something the other wasn't telling her, but no matter. She could find that out later. So have them bring her to the barrier in the dump. I suppose I can always sabotage a ring match, cause a malfunction in the magic keeping them at bay."

“We’ll need something secondary as well, but that won’t need to be as large. The queen is rather paranoid.”

"Of course she is, and we all suffer for it." Muffet sighed, "I will figure out something else to do for a secondary infraction as well, perhaps a shipment hijack... oh dear quite a bit of dust is likely to be shed."

“But the barrier will be gone and monsters will be free.” The space would help a lot. Surely the monsters could find places without humans if they wanted.

"That is true." Muffet nodded, and a little extra LV running around wouldn't be that bad when it spread like a rampant disease anyway. "I'll relay all this."

"Just let me know when and we can start!" Temmie chirped cheerfully.

"Of course! I'll send word once I've gotten to speak with the boys."

“We can’t act without them,” Temmie agreed. “A pleasure doing business.”

"I do try." Muffet replied with a small mock curtsey.

Temmie laughed and bounced off.  
>>>>

Sans slumped down the stairs hugging onto a very ragged plushie. At one point it had been vaguely bear like but it was hard to tell with a lot of the parts worn and an ear missing. He looked over to where Kari and Mutt were snuggled on the couch and came over to join them. Kari bit her lip to keep from cooing over how adorable he looked. She sadly knew if she did he'd get huffy and stop what he was doing to restore his tough image.

Mutt tilted his head and tugged him into the pile to snuggle down, "Have a good rest?"

"I WASN'T RESTING," Sans denied reflexively. He curled up contentedly on them and purred softly.

"Fine, slacking then. Have fun with that?"

"THAT SOUNDS WORSE," Sans grumbled. "I WAS PLOTTING."

"Sure, that's what the kids are calling it these days?" Sans growled and Kari reached over to hug Sans close. Mutt was so lucky Kari was there to hold him back. Mutt just grinned and wrapped the both of them up snuggling into them.

"WE'RE GOING TO BE SQUISHED," Sans grumbled even as he worked deeper into the cuddles.

"What a terrible fate, squished with love," Kari joked.

Mutt huffed, "I'm not that heavy."

"True. I swear you both weigh nothing."

"I WEIGHT TWENTY EIGHT POUNDS THANK YOU VERY MUCH."

"Oh almost a whole 30, what under the stars have you been doing?" Mutt fake gasped.

"IT'S ALL MUSCLE," Sans boasted.

"Ooh, let me feel." Kari stroked Sans' arms. "Nice." The skeleton turned a little purple and squeezed his plushie.

Mutt nodded, "It is."

“I AM THE MOST HANDSOME SKELETON YOU’LL EVER MEET,” Sans boasted.

“What’s that make Mutt?” Kari teased.

“SECOND MOST HANDSOME.”

Mutt shrugged, "That's easy when we're the only two."

Muffet sighed, she hadn't been to see the boys at home in years. And she wasn't exactly relishing the idea now. But things had to get done she knocked on the door, hopefully she wouldn't end up losing a hand for it either.

Black tensed. He stood up and gestured for Kari and Mutt to kneel, glaring until they complied. Kari was honestly confused by this as Sans marched over. “WHO DARES TO BOTHER THE MALEVOLENT SANS?” He growled. He blinked at Muffet. “OH.”

Muffet raised a brow, "I know you tend to wear awfully small britches, but usually you aren't too big for them."

Sans growled. “WHAT WAS THAT?” Was she insulting him in his house? He didn’t call for Mutt, stubbornly holding on his own.

Muffet smiled, "Relax Captain, I'm here because we have business to discuss. I assume Pappy has caught you up?"

Sans relaxed slightly and nodded, stepping aside so Muffet could come in. “KARI. GET SOME DRINKS FOR ME AND OUR GUEST. MUTT, FOOTSTOOL.” Kari hesitated looking to Mutt. Sans was bratty but not normally this bossy. Mutt gave her a small nod setting her on her feet, he'd calm down after a bit. As for him he rolled his eyes but dropped to the floor. 

Muffet smiled stepping in, "You do keep them on a short leash don't you, Kari dear would you like some help?"

Kari waved it off. “I’m fine.” She quickly got some water and brought it back, Sans sitting down proudly with his feet propped on Mutt. “SO. WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR THE BARRIER?”

Muffet perched herself carefully, "The plan is to cause diversions away from the spot in the dump that Kari dear has managed to find. Temmie believes they are capable of breaking it from there with the previously collected souls. I can handle a decent amount of mayhem, but Kari would need to be present at the spot, and it goes without saying that work would need to be swift. The queen will be especially displeased with outbreaks along supply routes or mass violence outside of the usual reasons."

“HM.” Sans tapped his fingers. “MUTT CAN AID YOU FOR DISTRACTIONS, I’LL ESCORT MY PET TO THE LOCATION.” He pulled Kari in to cuddle like a teddy, Kari automatically relaxing in his hold despite the unusual aggressiveness. Mutt listened to the plot, it was different. He looked between the two above him, to the spider monster perched on the other side of the room. Maybe this time would work, something had to. 

Muffet nodded, "I'll be sure to have plenty of backup for him, you just keep her safe. Now, to plan a date for this. There's a supply shipment from the capital to Hotland and Waterfall this weekend, if you think we could pull it off as soon as that."

Sans shook his head. “I NEED TO SEE THE GUARDS,” he lied. “NEXT WEDNESDAY?” He wouldn’t admit he wasn’t strong enough.

She hummed going over the days she had memorized in her head, "I believe we could make that work."

“THE RABBITS RECEIVE ONE OF THEIR ILLEGAL GREEN BATCHES THAT DAY.” Sans hated the half cooked green magic, but he had to admit it was the best many could afford.

Muffet nodded, "They do indeed, that certainly would help the cause."

“INFORM TEMMIE WE’LL DO IT AT DELIVERY TIME.” Sans nodded regally as he petted Kari.

Muffet stood straightening her skirt, "Of course Captain. I'll pass that right along. Kari dear, don't let them push you too far. I'll see myself out, you've got your hands quite full there." Kari giggled quietly and nodded. Sans huffed and eyed Muffet. He would not let her steal Kari. Muffet just grinned and blew Sans a kiss before she headed out the door, he really could relax at some point, poor boy was going to dust from the stick up his pelvic inlet.

“BOSSY LADY,” Sans complained.

“Says the man using his brother as a footstool.”

Mutt snickered, "Hey I'm fine down here."

“HE WANTS TO BE USED,” Sans agreed. “NOT TO MENTION DESERVING IT FOR BEING SO MOUTHY.”

"Me? Never."

“YOU ARE A HORRIBLE LIAR.”

“So Terrible Mutt,” Kari teased.

Mutt shrugged slipping up to his knees to lean over their laps, "Well if we're calling me terrible..."

"YOU ARE," Sans asserted.

"Absolutely." Kari bit her lip to suppress her amusement. Mutt winked at Kari and leaned forward another little bit to drag his tongue up the length of spine between Sans' pelvis and ribs.

Sans froze his magic bristling with pleasure. "WH..."

"Just living up to expectations." Mutt shrugged.

"I DIDN'T SAY YOU COULD DO THAT," Sans growled and half pushed Mutt away. Kari nuzzled into Sans' neck making him still. Mutt grinned reaching around the both of them to slip a hand up both their tops. Might as well go for broke. Kari sucked in a tight breath of surprise and Sans' eyelights hazed as he looked over at her. "DON'T..." He is in control. He's in charge. Mutt isn't making him weak in the knees.

"Don't what?" He questioned with a low purr, drawing the tip of a claw along the base of a lower rib.

"DON'T STOP." Sans leaned over to kiss Kari. She arched slightly into the kiss, a touch dazed by Mutt's sudden affection. Mutt watched the two on the couch idly tracing light patterns on the both of them. Kari nuzzled Sans affectionately and shifted so her legs were spread further as she leaned into Sans. He responded by tracing down across her belly sending tingles of warmth through her as he dipped lower and lower. Mutt kept his gaze glued to what was going on and twisted his wrist to tease a finger along the internal side of his brother's sternum.

Sans jolted a little and slapped at Mutt’s hand. “BEHAVE.” Kari nuzzled at his neck and nibbled at the bone. Mutt whined pressing his face to Kari's side.

Kari pulled back. “So I shouldn’t do this either?” She lightly traced right where Mutt had making Sans jolt again. “N-NO...”

“Are you sure?”

Mutt leaned up to Kari's ear , "Get him down. you take front, I'll take the back?" Kari smirked and nodded silently. Sans eyed the pair warily, but didn’t get a chance to get his guard up before Kari pulled him forward into a deep kiss drawing out a moan from him. She slowly pulled him forward until he was kneeling on top of her. Mutt slipped onto the couch opposite Kari, boxing the smaller skeleton in. He reached around splaying a hand across Kari's stomach, "Think you could take us both M'lord?"

Kari smiled confidently at Sans. His breath hitched watching Kari as he felt Mutt behind him. “YES.” He hadn’t known he wanted this, but now he did he needed it.

Mutt purred working at Sans' clothing, "Really certain? Even if it means letting us lead a bit?" He scraped the points of his fangs along the back of his brother's neck in a mock bite.

"Y-YOU COULDN'T TAKE CONTROL," Sans managed. Kari lifted a leg to rub along Sans'. "Sure about that?" she purred.

"You know, I think she could do it all on her own. But as it stands, I'm willing to help her even the field for a night." Mutt murmured keeping a sharp eye on the reactions from the other monster.

Sans shuddered in pleasure. "FINE."

"Good," Kari cooed. She leaned up to kiss Sans as a reward. Mutt purred at her tone, finishing working the other out of his clothes. This had promise. Sans shivered. He was the only one undressed. Kari looked over Sans admiringly slowly tracing a hand down over the scarred bones. Mutt traced his fingers along Sans' shoulder blades, and then up along his clavicle and the sides of his vertebrae to his jaw. Sans let out a low groan and pulled Kari into a hungry devouring kiss. They were being terrible, teasing him so much with the slow touches. Kari laughed into his mouth. Mutt grinned at the laughter cupping a hand across both of their cheeks dropping the other to tease the tips of his claws at the other skeletons hip. Sans bucked at the touch his magic wet and sticky but not quite formed yet. He let out a moan as Kari nuzzled him and pulled back to smile at Mutt. Mutt held her gaze, pressing against the body between them as he leaned over to kiss her. Kari savoured the kiss as Sans squirmed between them, a cock and a pussy both forming.

Mutt hummed dipping his fingers to the newly formed magic, "Well, no one can say you lack discipline."

Sans hissed. “DON’T JUST TEASE.” His hands hungrily worked to undo Kari’s pants as she rubbed against him. Mutt purred wrapping a hand around Sans cock to pump at him. Fine if he wanted fast he could provide.

Sans let out a loud whine and bucked hard. “Slow down there,” Kari teased. She lifted her legs to lock around him and slow him down, making Sans pant. Mutt stopped instantly, before he could end up hitting her in his actions. He watched her legs curl around the other with a wicked grin, oh but he loved having a partner in crime.

Sans whimpered. "KARI, PAPYRUS..."

"Yes?" Kari asked teasingly. Mutt dipped feather light touches down the spine in front of him. He was here, if being quiet. Sans ripped Kari's panties. She was going to need to find some new ones. Or go without. One of the two. She cried out when his fingers started slipping between her folds. She wanted to flush. How could she be so vulgar and enjoying this? She didn't stop though, shifting to kiss Mutt before kissing down Sans' jaw. He didn't bother to smother the whimper that followed the kiss and watching the show before him. But he did make the snap decision to mimic the other skeleton's actions onto him. Sans arched into the touch, moving to work himself backwards on Mutt's fingers. Kari shifted so she could start rubbing his cock right between her folds.

Mutt crooked his fingers still buried in the other's magic, "You're doing good with the whole letting us work thing." Sans let out a lust filled growl. It was hard to stay strong when he was sandwiched between his lovers being thoroughly pleasured. Mutt answered with his own growl rubbing his face between his brother's shoulders.

“Come Sans, just a little longer,” Kari coaxed. Sans grasped one of her breasts and she arched up silently, losing herself briefly in the moment. She was not used to so much.

"Pretty little thing laid out with you, isn't she?" Mutt rumbled quietly.

“YES,” Sans rumbled. He shifted so he could slip inside her eliciting another cry before looking at Mutt needily. Mutt nuzzled at Sans' face as he pulled his fingers out so he could free himself of his pants easier. Once he had gotten them out of the way he allowed the gathered magic from watching them take form, not sparing much in the way of time before pressing into the smaller skeleton, if he took to long with the look he was getting he had no doubt he'd pay later. Sans thrust into Kari practically overbrimming with pleasure as he felt his brother inside him as he simultaneously slipped inside Kari. He could feel every single place that they touched hyper sensitive.

Mutt slipped his gaze over to his conspirator, she would be getting a good bit of stimulus off of this, anything he did sending the other driving into her. Kari moaned looking up at Mutt briefly. Her eyes sparked as she grabbed tightly onto Sans' ribs, pleasure building as Sans plowed deep into her with Mutt's help. Well, she was doing fine it seemed. He grinned bracing one hand on the arm of the couch over them to help with leverage as he worked into the body below him. Sans was basically a moaning mess at this point just holding on and thrusting on automatic, trying to work himself on Mutt's cock and into Kari's pussy at the same time. He cried out when he came.

Mutt looked to Kari for her opinion, "Mercy?"

“Y-yeah,” She mewled. Mutt nodded and withdrew from the other skeleton with a nip to his shoulder.

“PA...PA...” Sans tiredly tried to gasp out his name.

Mutt nuzzled him, "Settle down first." He stripped his jacket to wrap around the smaller skeleton.

Sans slowly relaxed to nuzzle at Kari and Mutt. Kari just stayed where she was curling up to them. “Mm, this is gonna be a pain to clean,” she muttered.

Mutt shrugged, "It wouldn't be the first time I've had to scrub it."

“DON’T REMIND ME.”

“I was more thinking about how I’ll have to move to put pants on,” Kari chuckled.

Mutt chuckled, "Then don't."

“Just going to leave me to get chilly?”

Sans huffed and laid down nuzzling her. “NO.”

"Of course not. That'd be a lot more interesting on the other half." He grinned.

Kari giggled and hid her face. "YOU ARE INCORRIGIBLE," Sans teased.

"Who's fault is that?"

“YOU’RE THE OLDEST.”

"You're in charge."

“TRUE. I SHOULD BEAT YOU MORE,” Sans mused

Mutt let out a low whimper at the thought.

Sans grinned and curled up more comfortably. “MUTT TAKE US UPSTAIRS.”

He hummed looking to Kari, "That good with you Teeny?"

Sans slapped Mutt. “DON’T QUESTION ME.” Kari just shrugged watching the pair. She was never quite sure if she was fascinated or repulsed. She just couldn’t turn away.

Mutt whined again picking the smaller skeleton up and nuzzling at him, "Fine." He scooped Kari up to and popped the trio of them upstairs to the bed.

“GOOD. DO BETTER NEXT TIME.” Sans huffed at Mutt as Kari snuggled under the blankets. Mutt just nodded and quickly darted his tongue along Sans' teeth before settling under the blankets as well.


	48. Tensions

Sans was tense as he barked at the Snowdin guards, far harsher than he normally was. He even half killed Doggo and then yelled at the monster for being too injured to keep up with his training. The entire unit was terrified. Mutt loitered around the edges of the area listening, and occasionally dodging the ricochet bullets that ended up scattering. Man Sans was in a mood today.

He finally gave the guards a break and marched over to where Mutt was. "MUTT," Sans sneered.

Mutt tilted his head dropping to kneel lower than the smaller monster, "M'lord?"

"YOU DIDN'T PARTICIPATE."

"...no?" Sans punched Mutt. The intention behind the blow was rather loving and anxious, despite the sharp edge of violence. Mutt swung with the blow catching himself with an arm to straighten back up a bit, at least nothing appeared to have cracked.

"USELESS MUTT WHY DO I EVEN BOTHER WITH YOU," Sans growled. He stalked off angrily. Mutt shook himself and stumbled to his feet to follow after the shorter. Sans snapped and snarled at every monster that he saw and entirely ignored Mutt's presence behind him. The monsters vanished, none of them wanting to become EXP because the captain spotted them. Mutt sighed inwardly, this was all too familiar. He just kept following behind the other ignored or not, he would always have the smaller skeletons back.

Sans stopped at a clearing and started attacking everything around him. Mutt sighed and kept an eye on the smaller skeleton, hauling himself into a tree to pseudo nap as Sans did his damage.

Expelling his anxiety through his attacks wasn't easy. Sans was panting slightly when he finally stopped. "MUTT."

Mutt popped down to beside the other skeleton, "You called?"

"WE'RE CLOSE. WE HAVE TO STAY ON TOP OF THINGS." This close to getting out Sans knew things had a high chance of going wrong. There was always a catch.

Mutt nodded, "Nobody's gonna get past us. Too much riding the line."

"RIGHT." Sans grinned at Mutt. "AND THEN WE'LL SEE THE SURFACE."

"Right." Mutt nodded and flopped to sit next to his brother, "Heading back now that you've stormed the masses?"

“I DISAPPEARED FOR A WEEK I CAN’T VANISH YET.”

"Guess so."

"USELESS," Sans grumbled. Okay, he still had the town to visit and terrorize. Perhaps he'd even drop in on Muffet's. He forced himself to get up to do his duty. Mutt trailed behind him once again, hands shoved into his pockets as he strolled along. Mutt didn't have to follow him. Sans knew Mutt would rather just stay at home. It felt good to have his brother following after him even after being hit and kicked and driven back. He hit Mutt again, watching just to see Mutt keep following. Always loyal, no matter how idiotic that was. Mutt took the blow, if that's what Sans wanted to give him he'd take it. Whatever the other was comfortable with. He wouldn't purr at the blow in public, at least not when there was future issues at stake, but Sans knew.

Sans was so lucky. He just kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, but things kept on getting better. He headed into town and snapped at a few, looking around for anything that might be illegal and even being generous enough to end a fight he encountered by killing the monsters instantly. Mutt followed silently, sporting a mask of bored indifference at his siblings antics. Though the dusting was a bit exciting, the possibility of Sans being a little rougher than usual to settle was an enticing prospect.

Sans entered Muffet’s reluctantly and stayed near the door. “MUFFET.”

The spider woman perked up from behind the bar giving him a respectful nod, "Captain."

Sans pulled out a bag of coins and jingled it softly. "PAYMENT FOR THE USUAL INFO."

Muffet smiled at him gesturing to a more private table, "I trust Pappy dear will be enforcing the secrets as usual."

“OF COURSE.” Sans sneered at the customers as he sat down imperiously at the private table.

Muffet tucked the damp towel she was using to clean into an apron pocket and nimbly moved over to sit with him, "Are you quite alright Sans? You seemed fine, but we missed that handsome face around the last few days."

“JUST BUSY WITH WORK,” Sans lied. “AND YOU CAN BASK IN MY PRESENCE NOW.” He flared his aura proudly broadcasting a demand for respect and awe.

Muffet let loose a small laugh, "Very much so, now I take it this is confirmation of the green supplier. It should be here right on time, if you plan to find its source." She leaned her chin on two of her hands. The set of arms below folding neatly on the table.

Sans grinned. "GOOD. THEN I'LL BE READY TO MOVE WHEN THE TIME ARRIVES."

"Understood Captain, I'll have a team ready for any needed disposal and of course that new bust on those nasty betting on fights will have some trouble should they step foot anywhere near my lands."

"I WILL HAVE REINFORCEMENTS FOR YOU." Muffet nodded, should she need it then backup would be available. Not that she much suspected she would in the long run, but it was a nice option. Sans waited a bit longer ensuring he was seen before leaving, eager to release his need to hurt.

Sans barely hit the house before he began tearing into the couch. It broke too easily. He needed to hurt something else. His claws easily sunk into his arm and began to tear at the bone to break it apart. Mutt frowned grabbing onto the wrist, divert that. Sans locked onto Mutt slashing out wildly across Mutt’s face. Mutt tilted so he didn't catch eyes, but allowed the damage, swiping Sans' feet out from under him. Couch was already broken, might as well make it a brawl.

Sans snarled. “YOU DARE STRIKE AT YOUR MASTER? IDIOT DOG!” He leaped at Mutt to beat him into the ground. Good his attention wasn't turned on himself. Mutt twisted to keep himself balanced with Sans going at him, but he didn't avoid much of anything. Sans wanted to see him broken. He needed to see Mutt humiliated and begging for mercy that wouldn’t come. He was too wound up to be strategic currently but he was more than willing to dish out as much pain as he could. Mutt hissed when something fractured, fuck that burned...and if he wasn't so worried about Sans' mental state, with him having hurt himself, he would have reveled in it. As it was he grit his teeth and peered at his brother.

Sans grinned sadistically and reached for the fractured bone to twist further out of shape. Mutt was covered in scars, so many of them placed there by Sans. “YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL WITH MY SCARS.” Mutt whined, well that certainly wasn't fair talk. He flinched a bit at the twist, it stung, and Sans seemed to like it when he had visual input of the pain he caused. Sans chuckled darkly and dig into the wound before pulling his hand back to lick some of Mutt’s dust. He twisted quickly to kick Mutt’s legs out and force him to the ground. He tumbled hitting the floor hard enough to jar a hip slightly out of place. That was gonna hurt to move back where it belonged, in the meantime he whimpered, more from the look on the others face than any pain he was in.

Sans drank in the other’s suffering heavily and strode over to him, grabbing Mutt’s collar and dragging him up the stairs, making sure Mutt would painfully bump the edges as they went up. Mutt scrabbled to keep up, not doing it very well mind you. He tried to focus enough to get words out, question what his brother was planning...but it didn't want to come, he was already hazy and wound tight. Sans dragged Mutt to the chains and locked one of Mutt’s arms to one before summoning a bone blade and kneeling on his brother. “YOU HAVE FAR TOO MANY LAYERS ON.” He worked the blade quickly cutting off Mutt’s shirt and lightly scratching down Mutt’s spine before cutting away his pants. Mutt squirmed under the blade, breath coming in short panting intakes. What would that feel like against conjured magic? He whined low locking his gaze onto Sans' hands as he worked the sharp end through his clothing.

Sans smacked the blade against Mutt’s cheeks. “AH AH AH. YOU DON’T WANT TO LOSE ANYTHING IMPORTANT, DO YOU?” He chuckled lowly, feeling his own magic build as he started cutting into Mutt’s ribs, slicing deep enough to draw dust each time. “YOUR BONES ARE LOVELY, BUT I NEED SOMETHING MORE. SUMMON YOUR BODY MUTT.” Mutt wavered, he wanted to ask which one, but it just wasn't coming. He went with male default at the end of a short internal debate, mostly because his flickering concentration wasn't up for something too creative. Sans grinned and promptly plunged his hand through Mutt’s echo stomach and twisted hard. Mutt let out a strained yelp instinctively curling, just managing to stop before dislodging the smaller from on top of him. His magic pulsed at the intrusion, and he tugged at the cuff holding him in place twisting so he could hold onto the chain.

Sans pulled out and then cut hard across Mutt’s chest. “DON’T RECOIL FROM WHAT I’M GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO GIFT YOU!” He snarled and punched Mutt a few times before calming again. “PERHAPS I SHOULD STOP HERE.” Mutt shook his head almost frantically, don't stop now, don't leave him like this. He whined, it broke several times wobbling in and out with his breathing. “VERY WELL.” Sans grinned and flicked his blade down to Mutt’s cock, circling around it before going further back to Mutt’s hole.

Mutt froze, the feeling of the blade on his magic, the burn of the already open gashes, anticipation. He gripped the chain links tightly, his owns caltips digging into the bone of his hand he pressed so hard. Sans grinned and plunged it in brutally, not giving Mutt more than a moment to prepare himself before beginning to thrust the blade in and out of Mutt. His cock pressed heavily against his pants as he watched. Mutt would have shrieked if his stupid voice would just work. He arched, cumming from the scrape of the blade, magic and dust seeping from the inflicted wounds.

Sans laughed in joy and pulled down his pants to stroke himself as he watched Mutt. “FILTHY BEAST. NOTHING BETTER THAN A RABID DOG TO BE TIED DOWN AND USED.” Mutt whimpered, tugging at the tie down on his arm. If he could get loose he could help better. Sans pulled out the blade and smacked Mutt. “YOU THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE?” Mutt whimpered nipping at the fingers delivering the blow, laving a conjured tongue over what he could reach of the hand.

Sans watched Mutt, holding his hand out for Mutt to lick it before pulling himself abruptly forward to meet Mutt’s mouth in a painful mimicry of a kiss, fangs scraping at him brutally. He hitched himself forward to rub himself against Mutt’s cock. Mutt tilted his skull back exposing his neck and collar to those fangs, and pressed back against the friction, a half muted purr rumbling weakly.   
Sans bit at Mutt again and again in a parody of kisses as he brought himself to cum. Sans growled with pleasure and began to trace over Mutt’s wounds and lick at them as he prepared for round two. Mutt squirmed again, something clicking loudly, most likely the already injured hip from the fall earlier. He arched and twisted trying to help Sans on his quest.

Sans lined up and slipped himself into Mutt eyes closing as he used the available body. “SO EAGER TO BE USED. PAH! I SHOULDN’T EVEN TOUCH YOU.” Mutt hissed a breath out as the movement tugged on the blade wounds. He braced as best he could to move with the smaller, but keeping any sort of rhythm was hard with an injury to the joints. Sans could feel the difficulty and snarled at Mutt. “NOW YOU CAN’T EVEN PLEASURE ME? NOT EVEN SUITED TO BE USED!” Sans pretended to prepare to pull away. Mutt whined tugging at the chain again. Almostly desperately it wrenched his wrist and he hissed again, looking at Sans pitifully.

“NOT GOING TO BEG? NOT GOING TO LIE THAT YOU’RE FIT FOR THIS?” Sans slowly slid further into Mutt. “NOT GOING TO DEBASE YOURSELF IN YOUR NEED FOR MY COCK?” He wanted to, angel above he wanted to, but he was too dizzy with magic leaking elsewhere and vocals was one of the first things to short circuit on him. He hunched down as far as he could manage trying to be as small as he could, as open as his position would let him. Sans chuckled at the submissive weak pose and continued to pound into Mutt. “I’LL BE LENIENT THEN.” His blade flashed and cut deeply into the summoned flesh.

Mutt nuzzled at Sans' clavicle in thanks. The burn of the open slashes tugged just enough to trip him up to the brink of orgasm again. He shifted fully aware he was glowing brightly in just about every sense he could from the runoff that mimicked sweat to his soul pulsing almost in time with the drag of his brothers magic against the internal blade wounds.

Sans purred languidly as he slowly calmed down. He felt himself spill into Mutt and awareness of the ache in his torn arm slowly sank in. He was lucky Mutt had been there to catch his attention. He looked at his brother, his own soul slowly pulsing back. He flicked his blade slowly over Mutt, enjoying carving patterns over flesh that would never last. He was a good artist, if he said so himself. Especially on Mutt. He turned his attention to the twisted rib and focused on adding in some more carvings to force it to keep the twisted form when it healed. Mutt forced himself still, even as the carving forced him back over the abyss of orgasm, he could feel the almost idle intent his brother put forth into the rib carvings, that was staying right where it was, it wouldn't heal back to the proper spot. His own will bent easily to his Lord's. He still struggled to get a deep breath in, or to focus enough to speak.

Sans kissed Mutt as he finally finished. “DISMISS YOUR BODY.” He needed to patch Mutt up enough to let them both sleep. Mutt sighed silently, dismissing the summoned magic with a little difficulty. It was always hard to get rid of it when he was so mentally scattered. “GOOD MUTT.” Sans padded over to the med kit and came back, slowly cleaning the various wounds Mutt had and binding the more serious ones with non healing bandages to make sure he didn’t shed dust all over the bed. He lingered over the scar on Mutt’s arm that he’d dug into, purring at the painful wound before wrapping it. He brusquely snapped Mutt’s hip joint back into place before lingering around his tail bone, checking the tiny nicks he’d left there with his blade and ensuring the delicate bones around his coccyx weren’t shattered. Sans took extra care on the rib he’d warped, making sure to wrap it so it would hold its shape. He then picked Mutt up and dumped him in the bed.

Mutt stayed still through the patch up, happily purring lightly as he focused enough to get things out a little better. By the time he was dumped on the bed he could mumble a soft 'thank you'. Sans nuzzled Mutt. He wasn’t the one to say thanks. Sans knew he tended to be destructive when spikes hit. Mutt just put himself where Sans could excise it without harming each other. Sans was glad Mutt enjoyed it. He didn’t know if he could stop. He ignored the faint throbbing in his arm as he wrapped around Mutt.

Mutt sighed and reached down to dig through his jacket pocket for the tube of healing magic and pulled out some bandages, "You can't do that to yourself."

Sans took the tube with some disgruntlement. He wanted to sleep. He worked it in quickly and grabbed the bandages to sloppily wrap it. “IT WAS A SLIP.”

Mutt rolled his eyes and shooed the others fingers away wrapping the wound tighter to aid in the setting, "I kn-ow."

Sans nuzzled Mutt in thanks. “YOU’RE ALWAYS THERE WHEN I NEED IT.”

"Wouldn't be any point in existing otherwise."

Sans purred loudly. “YOU FIT ME PERFECTLY.”

Did he? Mutt really did question sometimes if he had done the best job. But he'd take it, if Sans was ok with how things were than he would be to.


	49. The Surface

Sans was not letting go in his sleep. He growled and cracked an eye socket open. Mutt gently pet the other. "Teeny's home, and I need to work on the dust all over."

“CLEAN IT IN THE MORNING.” Sans looked at Kari and grinned. “KARI, JOIN US.” Kari had no problems slipping over to join them in bed. Safest place to be, between two killers that wanted her alive. She looked at Mutt’s wounds in sympathy. Mutt settled back down pulling the blanket up while nuzzling his face into her hair and winding his fingers into the back of Sans' ribs. Things were good.

“Did you get whoever did that?” Sans stared at Kari in bemusement.

Mutt chuckled, "Yeah, we got him, right here." He flexed the fingers gripping onto his brother. Kari only took a second to process that and promptly turned bright red, burrowing under the blankets. Sans purred as he looked at Mutt’s injuries. Mutt purred back, pressing closer to Kari scooting her closer to Sans, stuck in the middle.

“Can you not destroy furniture next time? I thought you were dead,” Kari mumbled.

“I CAN TRY.” Sans couldn’t promise more.

Mutt nuzzled at her hair again, "We're all fine. No reason to fret."

“I’m sure you’re more than that.”

Mutt chuckled, "Maybe."

“STOP TALKING. SLEEP,” Sans ordered. “WE ONLY HAVE A COUPLE MORE DAYS UNTIL THE PLAN IS ENACTED.” Mutt settled back down relaxing into the mattress and curling around them as best he could. Kari silently traced over the bandages on Mutt’s body. How many scars were from fighting to survive? How many were from Sans?

Mutt shivered at her touching, "Keep goin' and you aren't sleeping."

“A SHOW COULD BE FUN.” Kari shivered at the tones, pausing over one wound. Did she dare? Mutt stayed still wondering what she would choose. “KEEP GOING,” Sans encouraged. He leaned forward and kissed her neck. She shivered feeling the chain of her collar shift at his touch. She slowly resumed tracing the wounds. Mutt purred shifting back a bit so he wasn't pressed quite as close.

Kari kept her touch feather light as she followed the various bandages. “I think you’re almost all bandages,” she teased quietly.

Mutt shrugged pressing into her fingers, "Been worse off."

“You really don’t mind me poking around?” She checked. Sans purred as he watched. She looked so innocent like this.

Mutt raised a brow, "He did it, you're welcome to add to it if you wanted." Kari shrugged and traced over the bones, occasionally pressing in harder and scratching at where she saw dust. It was hard to think of it as an injury when it was so fine and soft to the touch.

Mutt laughed a bit, "You're even soft working on things already broken."

Kari shrugged. “I like caring for broken things.” It felt funny saying that. It was true, but she shivered with the knowledge they now had another piece of her.

Mutt grinned trailing a claw gently down the side of her face, "You really are a thing of marvels."

Kari snorted. “Maybe down here.”

“NO. EVEN ON THE SURFACE.” Mutt nodded in agreement with his brother, there was bound to be a lot of different things up there, but she came first. She came to them before they got anything else, and that alone set her apart. Kari didn’t shrug, though she wanted to dismiss Sans’ words. There were plenty of humans out there, ones more gentle, ones more open. She just focused on tracing down Mutt’s spine. Mutt arched with a whimper when she brushed where the blade had drug along him earlier. That felt good.

“RUB HARDER THERE,” Sans suggested. Kari hesitated a moment before doing so.

Mutt squirmed with a shallow gasp; he turned his gaze to his brother, "Cheater."

“MWEHEHEHE. I NEED MY SHOW. SHUT HIM UP KARI.” Kari hummed. She loved doing this, but still felt a bit shy executing it. Slowly she started at the bottom of his rib cage and kissed up to his jaw bone, continuing to rub his spine and occasionally detouring to mouth around the bandages areas. Mutt purred, whinging occasionally as she found a spot that was good, but not good enough. He twisted a hand into the blanket grounding himself.

“YOU DO SO LOVE THE PAIN, DON’T YOU?” Sans purred. “LOOK AT YOU, PRACTICALLY FALLING APART FROM HER BUTTERFLY TOUCHES.” Kari nuzzled Mutt and drew him into a kiss, still flushed from having Sans instructing her as he watched. Mutt whimpered into Kari's mouth at the words. Everything said was true, he shuddered letting go of the blanket in favor of trailing over her skin.

"MUTT TAKE OFF HER CLOTHES."

Mutt nodded saying his hands under the bottom of her shirt so as he drug them up it bunched with his movement, "Yes M'lord." Kari stilled to make it easier for him to slip her shirt off. She shivered a little feeling exposed. "Just us here, you're safe." Mutt soothed dropping the material off the side of the bed.

"I know." She kissed Mutt again and wrapped her fingers around his ribs. He moaned low at the light grip, his own fingers working at her pants. He still had the orders even if he really just wanted to make her grip a bit harder. Kari shifted to help him slip off her pants, revealing that she had once again been too lazy to bother with panties.

Mutt grinned, "Aw now that's just temptation."

"Panties are a pain," Kari mumbled. Sans hummed happily as he summoned his own magic.

Mutt snorted a laugh, "No arguments here."

“THINK HE NEEDS A LOVE BITE,” Sans instructed. Kari studied Mutt before picking a spot on his collarbone to bite down on. Mutt slipped a breathy noise at the bite, rumbling happily. Kari hummed happily and moved to snuggle right up on top of him. Mutt chuckled and nipped her back.

Kari laughed softly. “Surprised you’re fine moving so much when you’re half bandages.”

Mutt grinned trailing his fingers back and forth along her skin, "This isn't anything Teeny. It'll be healed for the most part tomorrow. A couple will take a little longer, but nothing that'll take me out of commission."

"I SHOULD HAVE BEEN HARSHER," Sans growled calculatingly.

"That would leave us open." Mutt pointed out.

Sans grumbled. Mutt had a point. “ONE DAY.” Kari hummed as she wrapped herself around Mutt.

"When it's safe." Mutt agreed and nuzzled at Kari again pressing his teeth to her shoulder in a pseudo kiss. Kari happily pressed kisses across Mutt in return.

Mutt purred, "Supposed to be giving a show... wanna take a ride?"

Kari giggled a little. “Yeah.”

He grinned calling his magic back again and winking at her, "Guess we should at least try to be entertaining about it." Kari sucked in her breath, and slipped a hand down to her folds to help warm herself up before slipping onto his cock. Mutt leaned up to kiss her, one arm balanced on the mattress.

Sans drank the sight in hungrily. “BOTH OF YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL,” he sighed. Kari flushed. Finally satisfied she was ready she lowered herself onto him. Mutt made a quiet noise at her decent, cupping her cheek in a palm brushing his fingers into her hair. Kari smiled at him before turning to watch Sans as she rode Mutt. Oh. He was getting off to this. She flushed even brighter.

Mutt chuckled as she flushed brighter, "Isn't that the point of this?" Kari glared at Mutt.

“TRY AND LOOK PRETTY WHILE THROTTLING HIM,” Sans teased.

Mutt shrugged, "She's always pretty." He gave her a wide grin, "But I would love to see her try."

Kari fumbled placing her hands around his neck. Feeling bone under her grip was reassuring. This wasn’t something she could easily crush. She wasn’t sure they even needed to breath. So she did her best to squeeze. Mutt purred at the sensation at first, her intent wasn't very strong. As it lingered though, it managed to cut off what he brought in through inhaling which did suppress his ability for sound, and tingle a bit. It was actually kinda fun. Someone was having fun. Seeing Mutt gone under her sent tingles of pleasure through Kari.

The excitement from her was almost palatable, he tipped his skull slightly toward Sans to allow her room. Maybe she had something in her that wasn't entirely the soft she seemed all the time. Kari locked a hand around his collar and twisted it, panting silently as she rocked back and forth. Sans wasn’t nearly as quiet, growls and moans escaping him as his tip began to bead. Mutt watched her with hazy eyes and drug the back of a claw up the length of Sans' cock, barely any pressure.

Sans grabbed Mutt’s wrist and dislocated it. “HANDS ON KARI.” Mutt didn't have the ability to make a noise but he still jolted, hips rolling on reflex at the searing pain from his wrist. A sharp cry broke from Kari as Mutt hit something good. Mutt grinned bucking again, going for the same angle. Kari cried out again, gripping onto Mutt desperately as sharp pleasure rolled through her. Sans groaned. “KARI, PAPYRUS.”

Well that had a good reaction, on both fronts. He continued, pressing a quick kiss to her mouth. It didn’t take long after that for Kari to fall apart with pleasure, just riding waves of her orgasm. Sans purred, coming a minute after her and not once looking away from the sight they made. Kari had long since forgotten they were supposed to be giving a show, lost in her own pleasure. Mutt followed the other two, chasing after their highs. He shuddered pressing the injured hand into the bed contrasting the sharp burn of the joint with the flow of release. Kari hummed and went about settling herself more comfortably on top of Mutt as Sans moved closer to enjoy his lovers’ company. Mutt curled an arm around the smaller statured skeleton and rested his head against Kari's.

“IF YOU’RE LUCKY I’LL RESET YOUR WRIST TOMORROW,” Sans murmured.

Mutt smiled at him with a lazy yawn, "If is a strong concept." Sans smirked. Mutt wasn't sure if he should be worried, or excited at the expression. He pulled Kari down with him to flop back onto the bed for sleep.  
>>>>>>

Temmie vibrated as they waited outside the door. Soon Muffet’s distraction would go off, they’d get inside, and the barrier would break. Kari shifted uneasily back and forth as she stood by the barrier in the dump, Sans idly sending bones spiraling in patterns as they waited. It didn't take to long before there was a decent sized riot. One of the higher ranked fighters high from a recent victory turned loose to the public. That was a lot of dust flying. Mutt would have laughed, if that didn't mean he might inhale the bitter stuff floating around. Well, there went one hitch.

Temmie listened as the queen screamed about being overthrown and under attack. As soon as she was far enough away Temmie reached up, altering their odd magic to mimic Undyne’s code and get in. They raced to the soul containers. “Time to get out!” They informed the souls cheerfully. Two, four, six, all absorbed. Now for the tricky part: working with a soul that wasn’t absorbed. The new waves of power were wonderful. Temmie laughed and laughed and laughed as they made their way out. Wings unfolded from their back and they flew to the dump. It didn’t take any time. Monsters freaked as they saw the distorted form of the plush.

“Soul time,” Temmie sang. Kari fought the need to run, shrinking back against the barrier. Temmie was a lot bigger now. Kari's spiderlings clung onto her clothing, unsure about this new form in front of them. 

Mutt popped in after making another few stops to start a bit more extra chaos along the way, "We have everything in order?"

“Yes! We succeeded!” They were so close to their goal. “I just need Kari now.”

Sans summoned his hammer and stepped forward. “You aren’t killing her.”

“What? No, no, no. That’s not planned.”

Mutt draped an arm around Kari's shoulders, "We're right here, you know we have you Teeny."

Kari nodded. “Right.” She bit her lip and stepped forward. “Let’s get out.”

Temmie laughed and grabbed Kari, using magic to pull her soul forward. The dark blue soul pulsed, and shattered. “Whoops, that wasn’t supposed to happen.” A moment later everything was reset, Kari shivering under Mutt’s arm.

“Come on, I just need to sync her soul with the others.”

"Give her a moment." Mutt hissed low, twisting toward her a bit to press his face to her hair, "You ready?"

Kari took a moment to gather herself and nodded. “Yeah. I’m ready.” Kari stepped forward and looked up at Temmie. This was for freedom, she reminded herself. They would get out.

Temmie surfaced Kari’s soul, pulsing dark blue with red flashing occasionally. They pulled, and the soul shattered. “No!”

Again time rewound, Kari standing under Mutt’s protection. “I need to sync with Kari’s soul now,” Temmie informed everyone.

Mutt sighed sinking down a bit , "You gotta have a little faith that fuzzball over there can handle you proper. We're watching ok, you're safe as it gets down here." Kari looked at Mutt in disbelief. She was about to let Temmie play with her soul. That didn’t sound safe at all.

“YOU’LL MAKE IT THROUGH,” Sans assured her confidently. How could she not?

Temmie waited patiently. Kari stepped forward again. Temmie pulled a pulsing dark blue soul to the surface, Kari looking at it thoughtfully. Temmie gathered their magic and intent, and pushed it into Kari’s soul. It broke under the strain. “Come on!”

Time rewound and Kari watched Temmie pace and mutter as Sans stood on guard waiting for Mutt’s arrival. Mutt let out a frustrated noise popping back where he knew the others waited glaring at the reformed Temmie, "You suck."

“THINGS ARE GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN, THEY HAVEN’T MESSED UP YET,” Sans countered. Kari watched Mutt worriedly. It was too late to cancel their plans. Temmie already had six souls.

Temmie looked at Mutt as innocently as they could manage before turning to Kari and Sans. “This is going to be the hardest part. It took seven human mages working in sync to make the barrier. Kari here isn’t a mage, though her soul is strong enough to help break it. That’s going to make channeling it difficult.”

“WHY DIDN’T YOU THINK OF THAT EARLIER?” Sans asked suspiciously.

Mutt rolled his eyes, "Probably desperation same as anyone else. She can do this, and you will do it safely."

“Right. I’m going to get us all out,” Kari agreed firmly. She stepped forward. “How do we do this?”

Temmie hesitated, before nodding. “Think with everything inside you of breaking the barrier. Embrace that thought.” They pulled Kari’s soul forward again, the soul pulsing red. Magic began to build, but before Temmie could direct it Kari’s soul began to crack. She winced in pain.

“KARI!” Sans rushed to her side. Temmie sighed, and-

Temmie paced briefly at the entrance of the tunnel before sitting down as they waited for Mutt, Sans guarding Kari.

Mutt dished showing up again with a glare, "Anything else that could maybe boost it?" She didn't deserve to do this over and over.

“ANYTHING ELSE?” Sans questioned in confusion. Kari bit her lip.

Mutt shrugged, "Don't want anything going wrong."

Kari nodded nervously and started pacing. Temmie hummed thoughtfully. “So, this is going to be the hardest part,” Temmie explained to them. “The human mages who built the barrier worked in sync, and Kari is not a mage. I also don’t have experience working with a human.” Sans looked like he suddenly was having doubts about the entire operation. “But, if Kari channels every inch of herself into her desire to break the barrier while we both are touching it, it should be enough to sync together and shatter it.”

Mutt nodded pulling her in as she passed, "See, just like we've talked about before Teeny. It's all in the intent there."

Kari grinned up at Mutt. “Ready to see the sky?” She stepped up to the barrier and pressed into it, thinking hard about it shattering. It wouldn’t stand in her way. It wouldn’t keep them below. They would break free. Temmie squeezed in somehow, and pressed against the barrier as well. Their magic built and thrummed, pressing against the barrier. They pulled Kari’s glowing red soul to the surface, and with the power Kari held, pushed. The barrier cracked, and a devastatingly loud sound boomed through the air. The barrier shattered like glass, turning into notes of light that drifted up.

Kari sank down in exhaustion as Temmie stared at the small tunnel. They’d done it. Decades of being trapped and trying to fulfill their promise, and they had finally done it. The barrier was finally destroyed.

Sans rushed to Kari’s side and scooped her up. “I THOUGHT YOU SAID SHE’D BE FINE!”

Mutt put a hand on his brother's shoulder, "She's alright, just took a lot out of her." Sans nodded cradling her close. Temmie turned around and looked at them. They weren’t really sure what to do now. The barrier was broken, their promise fulfilled. But they were still alive. So now what?

“COME ON MUTT,” Sans said gruffly. “LET’S GET HER HOME. THEN WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO PACK.”

Mutt stared back at what the other monster had become almost as bewildered himself, "Yes M'lord." He gripped the both of them and popped them back home.

She was so tired. But she was warm and safe. Safe? Kari woke up a bit more at that thought, opening her eyes to recognize the skeletons’ bedroom. Yeah. She was safe. Who would have thought? She smiled sleepily. Mutt grinned, "Hey Teeny Thing, go on back to sleep for a bit we got some prep to do."

“What?” Kari mumbled.

Sans ran into the room. “MUTT! WE NEED ANOTHER COMPRESSOR FOR MY NAPSTATON COLLECTION!”

Mutt chuckled, "I'll find one in a minute Teeny's kinda up...ish."

Sans brightened and rushed over. “KARI!”

“Hey. Something happen?”

Sans laughed. “NOTHING TOO BIG. YOU JUST BROKE THE BARRIER AND FREED US, THAT’S ALL.”

Kari straightened up. “It really worked?”

"It did." Mutt confirmed pulling a box out of...where had that been? He dug through it looking for another part Sans to pack up with.

“That’s great!” Kari beamed.

“YOU NEED TO REST FOR NOW. THEN WE CAN SEE THE SKY TOGETHER.”

“Together,” Kari echoed. Yeah. She’d really like that. She snuggled down in the blankets.

Mutt grinned and went back to helping pack up the stuff they'd be taking.


End file.
